Information

Related Research Units

Nephrology Research

Research Overview

Dr. Pal's laboratory is focused on studying the mechanism of renal injury, renal inflammation and renal cancer, with particular importance paid to the signal transduction pathways regulating gene expression. One of the main focuses of Dr. Pal's research is to identify molecular mechanisms of cancer growth in patients receiving organ transplants. For instance, it has been shown that although calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) are very good immunosuppressive agents, they can promote cancer, while the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin (RAPA) can inhibit cancer growth. Dr. Pal's work has demonstrated that treatment with CNI can activate the Ras-Raf-Nrf2-HO-1 signaling cascade, which plays a critical role in renal cancer growth. Dr. Pal has developed a sophisticated murine model to study the mechanism of post-transplantation cancer growth. Dr. Pal's research aims to identify molecular targets to develop novel drugs for the treatments of renal inflammation and cancer.

Research Background

Dr. Pal received his Ph.D. in Physiology from University of Calcutta. He did his post-doctoral research in the field of angiogenesis at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.

 

Publications

  1. Recent developments in receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors: A promising mainstay in targeted cancer therapy. Med Drug Discov. 2024 Sep; 23. View Abstract
  2. A novel combination therapy with Cabozantinib and Honokiol effectively inhibits c-Met-Nrf2-induced renal tumor growth through increased oxidative stress. Redox Biol. 2023 12; 68:102945. View Abstract
  3. A Combination therapy using an mTOR inhibitor and Honokiol effectively induces autophagy through the modulation of AXL and Rubicon in renal cancer cells and restricts renal tumor growth following organ transplantation. Carcinogenesis. 2022 05 19; 43(4):360-370. View Abstract
  4. Metabolic reprogramming in renal cancer: Events of a metabolic disease. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2021 08; 1876(1):188559. View Abstract
  5. Novel Honokiol-eluting PLGA-based scaffold effectively restricts the growth of renal cancer cells. PLoS One. 2020; 15(12):e0243837. View Abstract
  6. Correction: A novel CXCR3-B chemokine receptor-induced growth-inhibitory signal in cancer cells is mediated through the regulation of Bach-1 protein and Nrf2 protein nuclear translocation. J Biol Chem. 2020 Jul 24; 295(30):10509. View Abstract
  7. A Novel Combination Treatment with Honokiol and Rapamycin Effectively Restricts c-Met-Induced Growth of Renal Cancer Cells, and also Inhibits the Expression of Tumor Cell PD-L1 Involved in Immune Escape. Cancers (Basel). 2020 Jul 03; 12(7). View Abstract
  8. Activation of c-Met in cancer cells mediates growth-promoting signals against oxidative stress through Nrf2-HO-1. Oncogenesis. 2019 Jan 15; 8(2):7. View Abstract
  9. Signaling Molecules in Posttransplantation Cancer. Clin Lab Med. 2019 03; 39(1):171-183. View Abstract
  10. Differential expression of c-Met between primary and metastatic sites in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma and its association with PD-L1 expression. Oncotarget. 2017 Nov 28; 8(61):103428-103436. View Abstract
  11. Honokiol inhibits c-Met-HO-1 tumor-promoting pathway and its cross-talk with calcineurin inhibitor-mediated renal cancer growth. Sci Rep. 2017 07 19; 7(1):5900. View Abstract
  12. Immunoevasion rather than intrinsic oncogenicity may confer MSCs from non-obese diabetic mice the ability to generate neural tumors. Acta Diabetol. 2017 Jul; 54(7):707-712. View Abstract
  13. Novel roles of c-Met in the survival of renal cancer cells through the regulation of HO-1 and PD-L1 expression. J Biol Chem. 2015 Mar 27; 290(13):8110-20. View Abstract
  14. High-throughput drug screen identifies chelerythrine as a selective inducer of death in a TSC2-null setting. Mol Cancer Res. 2015 Jan; 13(1):50-62. View Abstract
  15. A novel CXCR3-B chemokine receptor-induced growth-inhibitory signal in cancer cells is mediated through the regulation of Bach-1 protein and Nrf2 protein nuclear translocation. J Biol Chem. 2014 Feb 07; 289(6):3126-37. View Abstract
  16. The natural product honokiol inhibits calcineurin inhibitor-induced and Ras-mediated tumor promoting pathways. Cancer Lett. 2013 Sep 28; 338(2):292-9. View Abstract
  17. Heme oxygenase-1 promotes survival of renal cancer cells through modulation of apoptosis- and autophagy-regulating molecules. J Biol Chem. 2012 Sep 14; 287(38):32113-23. View Abstract
  18. Critical role of mTOR in calcineurin inhibitor-induced renal cancer progression. Cell Cycle. 2012 Feb 15; 11(4):633-4. View Abstract
  19. Effectiveness of a combination therapy using calcineurin inhibitor and mTOR inhibitor in preventing allograft rejection and post-transplantation renal cancer progression. Cancer Lett. 2012 Aug 28; 321(2):179-86. View Abstract
  20. TRAF6 inhibits proangiogenic signals in endothelial cells and regulates the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2012 Mar 02; 419(1):66-71. View Abstract
  21. Calcineurin inhibitor-induced and Ras-mediated overexpression of VEGF in renal cancer cells involves mTOR through the regulation of PRAS40. PLoS One. 2011; 6(8):e23919. View Abstract
  22. The heme oxygenase-1 protein is overexpressed in human renal cancer cells following activation of the Ras-Raf-ERK pathway and mediates anti-apoptotic signal. J Biol Chem. 2011 Sep 23; 286(38):33580-90. View Abstract
  23. CXCR3-B can mediate growth-inhibitory signals in human renal cancer cells by down-regulating the expression of heme oxygenase-1. J Biol Chem. 2010 Nov 19; 285(47):36842-8. View Abstract
  24. Altered VEGF mRNA stability following treatments with immunosuppressive agents: implications for cancer development. J Biol Chem. 2010 Aug 13; 285(33):25196-202. View Abstract
  25. Cutting edge: Vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated signaling in human CD45RO+ CD4+ T cells promotes Akt and ERK activation and costimulates IFN-gamma production. J Immunol. 2010 Jan 15; 184(2):545-9. View Abstract
  26. Calcineurin inhibitors activate the proto-oncogene Ras and promote protumorigenic signals in renal cancer cells. Cancer Res. 2009 Dec 01; 69(23):8902-9. View Abstract
  27. CD40-induced signaling in human endothelial cells results in mTORC2- and Akt-dependent expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in vitro and in vivo. J Immunol. 2008 Dec 01; 181(11):8088-95. View Abstract
  28. mTOR-understanding the clinical effects. Transplant Proc. 2008 Dec; 40(10 Suppl):S9-S12. View Abstract
  29. Calcineurin inhibitors modulate CXCR3 splice variant expression and mediate renal cancer progression. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 Dec; 19(12):2437-46. View Abstract
  30. Overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor and the development of post-transplantation cancer. Cancer Res. 2008 Jul 15; 68(14):5689-98. View Abstract
  31. Assessing the vascular effects of early erythropoietin use in pediatric renal transplant recipients. Nat Clin Pract Nephrol. 2008 Mar; 4(3):136-7. View Abstract
  32. Heme oxygenase-1 modulates the expression of the anti-angiogenic chemokine CXCL-10 in renal tubular epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2007 Oct; 293(4):F1222-30. View Abstract
  33. Ras-induced modulation of CXCL10 and its receptor splice variant CXCR3-B in MDA-MB-435 and MCF-7 cells: relevance for the development of human breast cancer. Cancer Res. 2006 Oct 01; 66(19):9509-18. View Abstract
  34. Vascular endothelial growth factor-induced signaling pathways in endothelial cells that mediate overexpression of the chemokine IFN-gamma-inducible protein of 10 kDa in vitro and in vivo. J Immunol. 2006 Mar 01; 176(5):3098-107. View Abstract
  35. CD40: a mediator of pro- and anti-inflammatory signals in renal tubular epithelial cells. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2005 Sep; 16(9):2714-23. View Abstract
  36. The CD40-induced signaling pathway in endothelial cells resulting in the overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor involves Ras and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. J Immunol. 2004 Jun 15; 172(12):7503-9. View Abstract
  37. CD40-induced transcriptional activation of vascular endothelial growth factor involves a 68-bp region of the promoter containing a CpG island. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2004 Sep; 287(3):F512-20. View Abstract
  38. Role of insulin receptor substrates and protein kinase C-zeta in vascular permeability factor/vascular endothelial growth factor expression in pancreatic cancer cells. J Biol Chem. 2004 Feb 06; 279(6):3941-8. View Abstract
  39. Detection and purification of a novel 72 kDa glycoprotein male breast tumor associated antigen. Int J Cancer. 2003 Jun 20; 105(3):377-83. View Abstract
  40. Central role of p53 on regulation of vascular permeability factor/vascular endothelial growth factor (VPF/VEGF) expression in mammary carcinoma. Cancer Res. 2001 Sep 15; 61(18):6952-7. View Abstract
  41. The neurotransmitter dopamine inhibits angiogenesis induced by vascular permeability factor/vascular endothelial growth factor. Nat Med. 2001 May; 7(5):569-74. View Abstract
  42. Ligation of CD40 induces the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor by endothelial cells and monocytes and promotes angiogenesis in vivo. Blood. 2000 Dec 01; 96(12):3801-8. View Abstract
  43. Role of protein kinase Czeta in Ras-mediated transcriptional activation of vascular permeability factor/vascular endothelial growth factor expression. J Biol Chem. 2001 Jan 26; 276(4):2395-403. View Abstract
  44. Retinoic acid selectively inhibits the vascular permeabilizing effect of VPF/VEGF, an early step in the angiogenic cascade. Microvasc Res. 2000 Sep; 60(2):112-20. View Abstract
  45. Inhibition of insulin-like growth factor-I-mediated cell signaling by the von Hippel-Lindau gene product in renal cancer. J Biol Chem. 2000 Jul 07; 275(27):20700-6. View Abstract
  46. Activation of Sp1-mediated vascular permeability factor/vascular endothelial growth factor transcription requires specific interaction with protein kinase C zeta. J Biol Chem. 1998 Oct 09; 273(41):26277-80. View Abstract
  47. Lipoarabinomannan induced cytotoxic effects in human mononuclear cells. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 1998 Jul; 21(3):181-8. View Abstract
  48. The von Hippel-Lindau gene product inhibits vascular permeability factor/vascular endothelial growth factor expression in renal cell carcinoma by blocking protein kinase C pathways. J Biol Chem. 1997 Oct 31; 272(44):27509-12. View Abstract
  49. Purification and characterization of a new 85-kDa glycoprotein antigen from human breast tumor. Int J Cancer. 1995 Mar 16; 60(6):759-65. View Abstract

Contact Soumitro Pal

Phone: 617-919-2989
Print Profile