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Maurizio Bocchetta, PhD

Associate Professor

Cancer Biology

Research Interests:

  • OTUD6B deubiquitinase
  • MYC oncogene
  • Lung adenocarcinoma

Bio

My laboratory is interested in identifying Notch-independent targets of γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs). GSIs have a very high toxicity towards adenocarcinoma of the lung (ACL) cells, which is poorly recapitulated by Notch genetic inhibition. A combination of hypothesis- and discovery-driven approaches has led to the identification of the deubiquitinase OTUD6B as an important regulator of growth and proliferation of ACL cells. Preliminary data suggest that OTUD6B may act through the regulation of MYC expression/activity. OTUD6B is a highly conserved gene in vertebrates; yet, very little is known concerning the function of this protein. Currently, my main goal is to clarify the network of post-translational modifications regulated by OTUD6B splicing isoforms on oncogenic proteins and on the translational initiation complex. This will lead to a better understanding of growth and proliferation of ACL cells, which may lead to innovative therapeutic strategies for adenocarcinoma of the lung, which is the major cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.A. and worldwide.

Education

  • BA, MS (“laurea”):in Human Physiology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
  • PhD in Human Molecular Biology, University of Rome ”La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
  • Postdoctoral fellowship, University of Illinois at Chicago

Research Interests

  • OTUD6B deubiquitinase
  • MYC oncogene
  • Lung adenocarcinoma

Publications/Research Listings

  • Notch-1-PTEN-ERK1/2 signaling axis promotes HER2+ breast cancer cell proliferation and stem cell survival  Baker, A; Wyatt, D; Bocchetta, M; Li, J; Filipovic, A; Green, A; Peiffer, DS; Fuqua, S; Miele, L; Albain, KS; Osipo, C  Oncogene  2018 Aug;37(33):4489-4504. doi: 10.1038/s41388-018-0251-y. Epub 2018 May 10. PMID: 29743588; PMCID: PMC9115842
  • Deubiquitinase OTUD6B isoforms are important regulators of growth and proliferation  Sobol, A; Askonas, C; Alani, S; Weber, MJ; Ananthanarayanan, V; Osipo, C; Bocchetta, M  Molecular Cancer Research  2017 Feb;15(2):117-127. doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-16-0281-T. Epub 2016 Nov 18. PMID: 27864334; PMCID: PMC5290186
  • p53 modulates Notch signaling in MCF-7 breast cancer cells by associating with the Notch transcriptional complex via MAML1 Yun, J; Espinoza, I; Pannuti, A; Romero, D; Martinez, L; Caskey, M; Stanculescu, A; Bocchetta, M; Rizzo, P; Band, V; Band, H; Kim, HM; Park, SK; Kang, KW; Avantaggiati, ML; Gomez, CR; Golde, T; Osborne, B; Miele, L  Journal of Cell Physiology  2015 Dec;230(12):3115-27. doi: 10.1002/jcp.25052. PMID: 26033683; PMCID: PMC4549197
  • Non-small-cell lung carcinoma: Role of the Notch signaling pathway  Barse, L; Bocchetta, M  Lung Cancer (Auckl)  2015 Jun 26;6:43-53. doi: 10.2147/LCTT.S60329. PMID: 28210150; PMCID: PMC5217522
  • Depletion of amyloid precursor protein (APP) causes G0 arrest in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells  Sobol, A; Galluzzo, P; Weber, MJ; Alani, S; Bocchetta, M  Journal of Cell Physiology  2015 Jun;230(6):1332-41. doi: 10.1002/jcp.24875. PMID: 25502341; PMCID: PMC4445075
  • Amyloid precursor protein (APP) affects global protein synthesis in dividing human cells  Sobol, A; Galluzzo, P; Liang, S; Rambo, B; Skucha, S; Weber, MJ; Alani, S; Bocchetta, M  Journal of Cell Physiology 2015 May;230(5):1064-74. doi: 10.1002/jcp.24835. PMID: 25283437; PMCID: PMC4445069
  • Multimodality approaches to treat hypoxic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) microenvironment  Liang, S; Galluzzo, P; Sobol, A; Skucha, S; Rambo, B; Bocchetta, M  Genes and Cancer  2012 Feb;3(2):141-51. doi: 10.1177/1947601912457025. PMID: 23050046; PMCID: PMC3463922
  • Notch signaling in lung cancer  Galluzzo, P; Bocchetta, M  Expert Reviews of Anticancer Therapy  2011 Apr;11(4):533-40. doi: 10.1586/era.10.158. PMID: 21504320; PMCID: PMC3380361
  • Notch-1 stimulates survival of lung adenocarcinoma cells during hypoxia by activating the IGF-1R pathway  Eliasz, S; Liang, S; Chen, Y; De Marco, MA; Macek, O; Skucha, S; Miele, L; Bocchetta, M  Oncogene  2010 Apr 29;29(17):2488-98. Doi:10.1038/onc.2010.7. PMID: 21779427; PMCID: PMC3092263

Additional Publications List