Additional Contact Information: Department of Biomedical Sciences |
EDUCATION/PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
B.S., 1976, University of North CarolinaPh.D., 1983, Wake Forest University
Interdisciplinary Association:
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies at Quillen College of Medicine
RESEARCH/TEACHING INTERESTS
One of the important functions of membrane lipids is to serve as second messengers, molecules that relay information from hormones and other primary signals and, in turn, activate metabolic processes within the cell. Our laboratory is investigating the structure, metabolism and biological role of these lipids. Of particular interest is the metabolism of diacylglycerols, molecules that are now thought to play a central role in the regulation of cell growth. We are currently exploring the pathways for the synthesis of diacylglycerols in cultured cells and their response to stimulation by hormones such as insulin and the interleukins. Gas-liquid chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography techniques have been developed to quantify the low levels of these molecules in cultured mammalian cells. Our recent studies have focused on a new class of biologically active lipids, alkylglycerols. Our laboratory has been the first to identify these compounds as components of mammalian cells. The level of alkylglycerols appear to be high in cells whose growth is inhibited, indicating that they may play a role in the regulation of cell growth. We are examining the metabolic processes that lead to the accumulation of these lipid molecules. Recent studies indicate that alkylglycerols are present at very low levels in cultured tumor cells, which is consistent with a role for these molecules as growth inhibitors.SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Warne TR, Buchanan FG, Robinson M.Growth-dependent accumulation of monoalkylglycerol in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Evidence for a role in the regulation of protein kinase C.
J Biol Chem. 1995 May 12;270(19):11147-54.
PMID: 7744745 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Related Articles
Robinson M, Burdine R, Warne TR.
Inhibition of phorbol ester-stimulated arachidonic acid release by alkylglycerols.
Biochim Biophys Acta. 1995 Feb 9;1254(3):361-7.
PMID: 7857977 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Related Articles
Warne TR, Robinson M.
A method for the simultaneous determination of alkylacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, monoalkylglycerol, monoacylglycerol, and cholesterol by high-performance liquid chromatography.
Anal Biochem. 1991 Nov 1;198(2):302-7.
PMID: 1799215 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Related Articles
Robinson M, Chen T, Warne TR.
IL-3-induced generation of alkylacylglycerol and diacylglycerol in an IL-3-dependent cell line.
J Immunol. 1991 Oct 15;147(8):2624-9.
PMID: 1918982 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Related Articles
Robinson M, Warne TR.
Sources of diradylglycerols generated during cell growth and phorbol ester stimulation in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells.
Biochim Biophys Acta. 1991 Aug 20;1085(1):63-70.
PMID: 1892879 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Related Articles
Warne TR, Robinson M.
A method for the quantitative analysis of molecular species of alkylacylglycerol and diacylglycerol.
Lipids. 1990 Nov;25(11):748-52.
PMID: 2280680 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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