My overall research interest is on how cells communicate with their environment, the extracellular matrix through adhesion receptors. In the past, I have studied integrin-dependent signal transduction in primary synovial fibroblasts, where integrin ligation engages RhoA family GTPases activity, mitochondria function and radical oxygen species production, leading to a pro-inflammatory response and extracellular proteases release. These pathways are relevant to arthritis progression and tissue remodeling. More recently, I found that the Anthrax Toxin Receptor 1/ Tumor Endothelium 8 is a novel adhesion molecule. This is the first function associated to this molecule otherwise known for its participation in pathological processes such as for Anthrax Toxin delivery into the cell and tumour vasculature as it is specifically expressed in tumor-associated endothelial cells.
Publications:
Canessa, M.; Salazar, G.; Werner, E.; Vallega, G. & Gonzalez, A.(1994) Cell growth and Na-K-Cl Co-transport responses of vascular smooth muscle Cells of Milan rats. Hypertension 23: 1022-1026.
Kheradmand, F.; Werner , E.; Tremble, P.; Symons, M. & Werb, Z. (1998). Role of Rac1 and Oxygen Radicals in Collagenase-1 Expression Induced by Cell Shape Change. Science 280: 898.
Werner, E.; Kheradmand, F.; Isberg, R. & Werb, Z. (2001) Phagocytosis mediated by Yersinia invasin in rabbit synovial fibroblasts induces collagenasse-1 expression through a pro-inflammatory cascade. Journal of Cell Science. 114: 3333-3343.
Werner, E. & Werb, Z. (2002) Integrins engage mitochondrial function for signal transduction by a mechanism dependent on Rho GTPases . Journal Cell Biology. 158: 357-368. This article was featured in STKE 2002: tw275.
Werner E., (2003) Determination of cellular H202 production. Sci. STKE 2003: 13.
Werner E., (2004) GTPases and reactive oxygen species: switches for killing and signaling. J.Cell Sci. 117: 143-153.
Salazar G., Love R., Werner E., Doucette M.,Cheng S, Levey A.,& V. Faundez. (2004) The Zinc Transporter ZnT3 Interacts with AP-3 and It Is Preferentially Targeted to a Distinct SynapticVesicle Subpopulation. Mol.Biol.Cell 15: 575-587.
Salazar G., Love R., Styers, M., Werner E., Peden, A. & V. Faundez. (2004). AP-3-dependent mechanisms control the targeting of a chloride channel (ClC-3) to synaptic vesicles. J. Biol. Chemistry 279: 25430-9.
Werner E. (2005) Integrin clustering drives phagocytosis coupled to collagenase 1 induction through RhoA GTPase and superoxide production. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 7: 318-326.
Groves ML., McKeon R., Werner E., Nagarsheth M., Meador W., & A. English. (2005) Axon regeneration in peripheral nerves is enhanced by proteoglycan degradation. Experimental Neurology. 195 (2): 278-92. This article was featured in the same issue by the editor.
Wall S., Zhong Z-D., Werner E., Werb Z., & Y. DeClerk. (2005) Tumor cell cycle arrest induced by fibrillar collagen is via the discoidin domain receptor 2. J. Biol. Chemistry 280: 40187-94.
Rodrigues AB, Werner E and Moses K. (2005) Genetic and Biochemical analysis of the role of Egfr in the morphogenetic furrow of the developing Drosophila eye. Development 132: 4697-4707.
Werner E., Kowalzcyk, A., & V. Faundez. (2006) The Anthrax Toxin Receptor 1/TumorEndothelium Marker 8 mediates cell spreading by coupling extracellular ligands with the actin cytoskeleton. J. Biol. Chemistry 281: 23227-36.
Salazar G, Craige B, Styers ML, Newell-Litwa KA, Doucette MM, Wainer BH, Falcon-Perez JM, Dell'Angelica EC, Peden AA, Werner E, and V. Faundez. (2006) BLOC-1 complex deficiency alters the targeting of adaptor protein complex-3 cargoes. Mol Biol Cell. 17 (9): 4014-26.
Name: Erica Werner,
