DOMINIC M. DESIDERIO, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Neurology

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Address

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

847 Monroe Avenue

Memphis, TN 38163

Tel: (901) 448-5488; Fax: (901) 448-7842;

Lab: 117 Johnson Building

Education

Ph.D. Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry

Research Interests

The hypothesis for this study is that differentially expressed nitroproteins (DENP’s) exist between human pituitary controls and adenomas. We base our hypothesis on our recent discovery of sixteen 3-nitrotyrosine-containing proteins (3NT proteins; nitroproteins) and several nitroprotein:protein complexes in human pituitaries. Biomarker DENP’s provide a window into oxidative stress, reactive nitrogen species (RNS), reactive oxygen species (ROS), free radicals, and tumorigenesis. We focus on brain tumors, and specifically on pituitary adenomas. The molecular mechanisms that participate in the formation of non-secreting macroadenomas are largely unknown; more is known about hormone-secreting microadenomas.

Although reversible and non-reversible protein modifications occur, we focus on a chemically stable end-product biomarker, 3-nitro tyrosine (3NT). We analyze nitroproteins in human pituitary tissues (post-mortem controls; post-surgical adenomas) to identify DENP’s. Those biomarker DENP’s will clarify molecular events that occur in brain tumors and pituitary adenomas. Those results are readily translatable to other cancer studies.

We have extensive preliminary data on human pituitaries from collaborations with our neurosurgeon colleagues J. T. Robertson, M.D. (University of Tennessee) and Nelson M. Oyesiku, M.D. (Emory University). We have published the quantitation of neuropeptides (controls; adenomas), comparative proteomics to discover differentially expressed proteins (DEP’s), qualitative phosphoproteomics to discover phosphoproteins, and qualitative nitroproteomics to discover nitroproteins. We have compared our DEP’s with differential genes.

Links

Neurology - Dominic M. Desiderio

Recent Publications

• Zhan X, Desiderio DM. Mass spectrometric identification of in vivo nitrotyrosine sites in the human pituitary tumor proteome. Methods Mol Biol. 2009;566:137-63. PMID: 20058170
• Nookala S, Gandrakota R, Wohabrebbi A, Wang X, Howell DE, Giorgianni F, Beranova-Giorgianni S, Desiderio DM, Jablonski MM. In Search of the Identity of the XAP-1 Antigen: A Protein Localized to Cone Outer Segments. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2009 Dec 30; [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 20042652
• Lee EY, Choi DY, Kim DK, Kim JW, Park JO, Kim S, Kim SH, Desiderio DM, Kim YK, Kim KP, Gho YS. Gram-positive bacteria produce membrane vesicles: proteomics-based characterization of Staphylococcus aureus-derived membrane vesicles. Proteomics. 2009 Dec;9(24):5425-36. PMID: 19834908
• Beranova-Giorgianni S, Desiderio DM, Giorgianni F. Phosphoproteome analysis by in-gel isoelectric focusing and tandem mass spectrometry. Methods Mol Biol. 2009;519:383-96. PMID: 19381597
• Elias BC, Suzuki T, Seth A, Giorgianni F, Kale G, Shen L, Turner JR, Naren A, Desiderio DM, Rao R. Phosphorylation of Tyr-398 and Tyr-402 in occludin prevents its interaction with ZO-1 and destabilizes its assembly at the tight junctions. J Biol Chem. 2009 Jan 16;284(3):1559-69. Epub 2008 Nov 18. PMID: 19017651
• Evans CO, Moreno CS, Zhan X, McCabe MT, Vertino PM, Desiderio DM, Oyesiku NM. Molecular pathogenesis of human prolactinomas identified by gene expression profiling, RT-qPCR, and proteomic analyses. Pituitary. 2008;11(3):231-45. PMID: 18183490

view complete list of references (pubmed link)