UMDNJ
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology
Research Tower
Room 304
675 Hoes Lane
Piscataway, NJ 08854-5635

(732) 235-4520
FAX: (732) 235-4029

casaccpa@umdnj.edu

Lab web page:
http://www2.umdnj.edu/cblabweb

Cell cycle regulation
Apoptotic signalling in neurodevelopment and disease
Strategies for repair in demyelinating diseases using adult neural stem cells
Novel therapeutic targets for Multiple Sclerosis
Mechanisms of differentiation of lineage restricted oligodendrocyte progenitors
Molecular mechanisms of brain tumors

The identification of the molecular mechanisms governing cell proliferation and survival in the central nervous system (CNS) is a crucial question in developmental neurobiology, cancer biology and for the design of clinical strategies aimed at repair of brain damage. In broad terms my laboratory is interested in defining the molecular components and the signalling pathways determining the decision of progenitor cells to either proliferate or growth arrest and mature into a differentiated phenotype. More specifically, my research is focused on the study of the regulation of proliferation and survival of oligodendrocytes, the myelin forming cells of the central nervous system.

For complete list: PubMed

Gil-Perotin, S. Marin-Husstege, M., Li, J., Soriano-Navarro, M., Zindy, F., Roussel, M.F., Garcia-Verdugo, J.M., Casaccia-Bonnefil, P. (2006) Loss of p53 induces changes in the behavior of subventricular zone cells: implication for the genesis of glial tumors. J. Neurosci. 26:1107-16.

Cunliffe, V.T., Casaccia-Bonnefil, P. (2006) Histone deacetylase 1 is essential for oligodendrocyte specification in the zebrafish CNS.
Mech Dev. Jan;123(1):24-30.

Gokhan, S., Marin-Husstege, M., Yu Yung , S, Fontanez, D.,
Casaccia-Bonnefil, P., Mehler, M.F. (2005). Coordinate Regulation of Homeodomain and Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors Differentially Regulate Myelin Basic Protein Gene Expression. J. Neurosci., 26:8311-8321.

Shen, S., Li, J., Casaccia-Bonnefil, P. (2005) Histone modifications affect timing of oligodendrocyte progenitor differentiation in the developing rat brain. J. Cell Biol. 169: 577-589.

Bansal, R., Marin-Husstege, M., Winkler, S., Casaccia-Bonnefil P. (2005) S-phase entry of oligodendrocyte lineage cells is associated with increased levels of p21Cip1. J. Neurosci. Res., 80:360-8

Liu, A, Stadelman, C., Mastronardi, F., Moscarello, M., Sobel, A., Casaccia-Bonnefil, P. (2005) Expression of stathmin, a developmentally controlled cytoskeleton regulating molecule, in demyelinating disorders. J. Neurosci. 25:737-47.

Marin-Husstege, M., Muggironi, M., Raban, D., Skoff. R, Casaccia-Bonnefil, P.* (2005) Oligodendrocyte progenitor proliferation and maturation is differentially regulated by male and female sex steroid hormones. Dev. Neurosci. 26:245-54.

Crockett, D.P., Burshteyn, M., Garcia, C., Muggironi, M., Casaccia-Bonnefil, P. (2005) Number of oligodendrocyte progenitors recruited to the lesioned spinal cord is modulated by the levels of the cell cycle regulatory protein p27Kip-1. Glia. 49:301-8.

Kim, D., Zhao, X., Tu, C., Casaccia-Bonnefil, P., Chao, M.V .(2004) The neurotrophins prevent apoptotic but not necrotic cell death following neuronal injury by signaling through their TRK receptor. J. Neurosurgery 100(1):79-87.

Petrone A., Dusa, A., Bianchi R., Casaccia-Bonnefil, P., Arancio, O., Sap, J. (2003). Receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase alpha is essential for hippocampal neuronal migration and long-term potentiation. EMBO J., 22:4121-4131.

Liu A., M., Muggironi, M., Casaccia-Bonnefil, P. (2003) Oligodendrocyte process outgrowth in vitro is modulated by epigenetic regulation of cytoskeletal severing proteins. Glia,44(3):264-74.

Marin-Husstege, M., Muggironi, M., Liu A.X.., Casaccia-Bonnefil, P. (2002) Inhibition of histone deacetylase activity is necessary for oligodendrocyte lineage progression, J. Neurosci., in press

Doetsch, F. Verdugo, J.G., Caille I, Chao, M.V., Alvarez-Buyilla
Casaccia-Bonnefil, P., (2002) Lack of the cell cycle inhibitor p27Kip1 results in selective increase of transit amplifying cells for adult neurogenesis. J. Neurosci, 22:2256-2264

Zeuzula, J., Casaccia-Bonnefil, P., Osterhout, D.J., Levine, J., Chao, M.V. Koff, A. (2001) P21Cip1 is required for the differentiation of oligodendrocytes independently of cell cycle withdrawal., EMBO reports 2: 27-34..