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Jennifer Gordon, PhD

Associate Professor, Neuroscience

Associate Professor, Neurovirology

Location: Room 759 MERB

Telephone:  215-707-5105

Fax:  215-707-4888

Email: jennifer.gordon@temple.edu

Department of Neuroscience

Center for Neurovirology

BS, Biology - 1990

Albright College

Reading, PA

 

PhD, Molecular Pathobiology - 1999

Drexel (MCP Hahnemann) School of Medicine

Philadelphia, PA

 

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Molecular Neurovirology - 2001

Temple University

Philadelphia, PA

 

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Creation and utilization of experimental animal models to study molecular mechanisms of neuronal development, differentiation, and the pathogenesis of JC virus-induced tumors of neuronal origin.

Research Summary
Over the last several years, my research has focused on the development and analysis of animal models of CNS dysregulation utilizing viral genes from the oncogenic human DNA tumor virus JCV, as well as cellular factors such as Pur-alpha, Rb, and p53. These studies have resulted in the generation and analysis of a number of transgenic mouse lines in which the JC virus transforming protein, T-antigen, is expressed under the control of its own promoter. The development of several distinct phenotypes in these animal models, including a range of neural-origin tumors, has prompted the study of similar tumors in humans. Results of these studies have demonstrated the detection of JC virus DNA sequences and expression of the oncoprotein, T-antigen, in a large percentage of human medulloblastomas and astrocytic tumors, suggesting an association between JC virus and human CNS tumors. In addition, a recent transgenic animal model of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor suggests a role for JCV in the autosomal dominant disorder, neurofibromatosis, and a new mechanism of JCV T-antigen induced tumorigenesis via interaction with the NF2 gene product, merlin, a putative tumor suppressor protein. Another research project focuses on the characterization of a unique Pur-alpha? knockout mouse model which has suggested a role for this cellular protein in neuronal development and differentiation. Studies in progress have identified the neuronal regulatory proteins, cdk5 and p35 as partners for Pur-alpha, suggesting a role in the regulation of neurofilament polymerization. In addition, YB-1, a cellular protein involved in transcriptional and translational regulation which can partner with Pur-alpha, is dysregulated in the knockout mice expanding potential pathways which may be controlled by Pur-alpha. These studies may have an impact on our understanding of AIDS pathogenesis in the CNS due to the established interaction between Pur-alpha and the HIV-1 Tat protein. The ongoing studies on transgenic and knockout mouse models focus on the molecular mechanisms involved in cellular transformation by JCV T-antigen and the potential role of Puralpha in the regulation of neuronal cell development and differentiation in vivo. We have recently initiated investigations on another DNA tumor virus, BKV, which causes polyomavirus nephropathy (PVN) in renal transplant recipients. PVN is an increasingly common viral infection of the allograft with the human polyomavirus, BKV, which can lead to graft loss. Our studies on patients with PVN are aimed at understanding the pathogenesis of polyomavirus reactivation and the role of the immune system in control of viral infection.

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Recent Medically Related Publications, Obtained from PubMed (Click on PubMed ID to view abstract)

19748018. Deckter L, Mahabee-Gittens EM, Gordon JS, Are pediatric ED nurses delivering tobacco cessation advice to parents? J Emerg Nurs 35:5(402-5)2009 Sep

19442856. Sariyer IK, Safak M, Gordon J, Khalili K, Generation and characterization of JCV permissive hybrid cell lines. J Virol Methods 159:1(122-6)2009 Jul

19042677. Bhattacharya A, Watts NB, Gordon J, Shukla R, Waters T, Bartels S, Coleman R, Bone quantity and quality of youths working on a farm-a pilot study. J Agromedicine 12:4(27-38)2007

19023825. Mahabee-Gittens EM, Gordon JS, Krugh ME, Henry B, Leonard AC, A smoking cessation intervention plus proactive quitline referral in the pediatric emergency department: a pilot study. Nicotine Tob Res 10:12(1745-51)2008 Dec

18780968. Darbinian N, Cui J, Basile A, Del Valle L, Otte J, Miklossy J, Sawaya BE, Amini S, Khalili K, Gordon J, Negative regulation of AbetaPP gene expression by pur-alpha. J Alzheimers Dis 15:1(71-82)2008 Sep

18431218. Mahabee-Gittens EM, Gordon J, Acceptability of tobacco cessation interventions in the pediatric emergency department. Pediatr Emerg Care 24:4(214-6)2008 Apr

18295538. Chen Y, Trofe J, Gordon J, Autissier P, Woodle ES, Koralnik IJ, BKV and JCV large T antigen-specific CD8+ T cell response in HLA A*0201+ kidney transplant recipients with polyomavirus nephropathy and patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. J Clin Virol 42:2(198-202)2008 Jun

18247371. Darbinian N, Darbinyan A, Czernik M, Peruzzi F, Khalili K, Reiss K, Gordon J, Amini S, HIV-1 Tat inhibits NGF-induced Egr-1 transcriptional activity and consequent p35 expression in neural cells. J Cell Physiol 216:1(128-34)2008 Jul

17201119. White MK, Skowronska A, Gordon J, Del Valle L, Deshmane SL, Giordano A, Khalili K, Analysis of a mutant p53 protein arising in a medulloblastoma from a mouse transgenic for the JC virus early region. Anticancer Res 26:6B(4079-92)2006 Nov-Dec

16741963. Darbinian-Sarkissian N, Czernik M, Peruzzi F, Gordon J, Rappaport J, Reiss K, Khalili K, Amini S, Dysregulation of NGF-signaling and Egr-1 expression by Tat in neuronal cell culture. J Cell Physiol 208:3(506-15)2006 Sep

16626043. Khalili K, Gordon J, White MK, The polyomavirus, JCV and its involvement in human disease. Adv Exp Med Biol 577:(274-87)2006

16571806. Sariyer IK, Akan I, Palermo V, Gordon J, Khalili K, Safak M, Phosphorylation mutants of JC virus agnoprotein are unable to sustain the viral infection cycle. J Virol 80:8(3893-903)2006 Apr

16537617. Chen Y, Trofe J, Gordon J, Du Pasquier RA, Roy-Chaudhury P, Kuroda MJ, Woodle ES, Khalili K, Koralnik IJ, Interplay of cellular and humoral immune responses against BK virus in kidney transplant recipients with polyomavirus nephropathy. J Virol 80:7(3495-505)2006 Apr

15982744. White MK, Gordon J, Reiss K, Del Valle L, Croul S, Giordano A, Darbinyan A, Khalili K, Human polyomaviruses and brain tumors. Brain Res Brain Res Rev 50:1(69-85)2005 Dec 1

15859923. Trofe J, Gordon J, Roy-Chaudhury P, Koralnik I, Atwood W, Eash S, Alloway RR, Khalili K, Alexander JW, Woodle ES, Basic and clinical research in polyomavirus nephropathy. Exp Clin Transplant 2:1(162-73)2004 Jun

15848582. Trofe J, Roy-Chaudhury P, Gordon J, Wadih G, Maru D, Cardi MA, Succop P, Alloway RR, Khalili K, Woodle ES, Outcomes of patients with rejection post-polyomavirus nephropathy. Transplant Proc 37:2(942-4)2005 Mar

15264457. Trofe J, Gordon J, Roy-Chaudhury P, Koralnik IJ, Atwood WJ, Alloway RR, Khalili K, Woodle ES, Polyomavirus nephropathy in kidney transplantation. Prog Transplant 14:2(130-40; quiz 141-2)2004 Jun

15194802. Radhakrishnan S, Gordon J, Del Valle L, Cui J, Khalili K, Intracellular approach for blocking JC virus gene expression by using RNA interference during viral infection. J Virol 78:13(7264-9)2004 Jul

15133494. Shollar D, Del Valle L, Khalili K, Otte J, Gordon J, JCV T-antigen interacts with the neurofibromatosis type 2 gene product in a transgenic mouse model of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Oncogene 23:32(5459-67)2004 Jul 15

15016869. Del Valle L, Enam S, Lara C, Miklossy J, Khalili K, Gordon J, Primary central nervous system lymphoma expressing the human neurotropic polyomavirus, JC virus, genome. J Virol 78:7(3462-9)2004 Apr

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