Sarah Wilcox-Adelman, Ph.D.
Scientist
syndecan, cell adhesion, cell migration, angiogenesis
Email: wilcox-adelman at bbri.org

Research Summary
We are examining the role of the transmembrane heparan-sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-4 and in cell adhesion and migration. Specifically, we have generated mice in which the syndecan-4 gene is deleted and are utilizing endothelial cells and fibroblasts isolated from these mice to better understand what part syndecan-4 plays in cell migration and angiogenesis. Our studies have indicated that loss of syndecan-4 leads to a migration deficiency due, in part, to a delay in focal adhesion turnover caused by diminished phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). As changes in expression levels of syndecan-4 are associated with some forms of cancer-these studies may help uncover the contributions of syndecan-4 to migration and tumor-associated angiogenesis.

Selected Publications
Kim C, Wilcox-Adelman S, Sano Y, Tang WJ, Collier RJ, Park JM. Antiinflammatory cAMP signaling and cell migration genes co-opted by the anthrax bacillus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Apr 22;105(16):6150-5. View Full Text (PDF).

Chen Y, Leask A, Abraham DJ, Pala D, Shiwen X, Khan K, Liu S, Carter DE, Wilcox-Adelman S, Goetinck P, Denton CP, Black CM, Pitsillides AA, Sarraf CE, Eastwood M. Heparan sulfate-dependent ERK activation contributes to the overexpression of fibrotic proteins and enhanced contraction by scleroderma fibroblasts. Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Feb;58(2):577-85.

Chen Y, Shi-Wen X, van Beek J, Kennedy L, McLeod M, Renzoni EA, Bou-Gharios G, Wilcox-Adelman S, Goetinck PF, Eastwood M, Black CM, Abraham DJ, Leask A. Matrix contraction by dermal fibroblasts requires transforming growth factor-beta/activin-linked kinase 5, heparan sulfate-containing proteoglycans, and MEK/ERK: insights into pathological scarring in chronic fibrotic disease. Am J Pathol. 2005 Dec;167(6):1699-711.

Cornelison DD, Wilcox-Adelman SA, Goetinck PF, Rauvala H, Rapraeger AC, Olwin BB. Essential and separable roles for Syndecan-3 and Syndecan-4 in skeletal muscle development and regeneration. Genes Dev. 2004 Sep 15;18(18):2231-6.

Wilcox-Adelman SA, Denhez F, Iwabuchi T, Saoncella S, Calautti E, Goetinck PF. Syndecan-4: dispensable or indispensable? Glycoconj J. 2002 May-Jun;19(4-5):305-13.

Wilcox-Adelman SA, Denhez F, Goetinck PF. Syndecan-4 modulates focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation. J Biol Chem. 2002 Sep 6;277(36):32970-7.

Denhez F, Wilcox-Adelman SA, Baciu PC, Saoncella S, Lee S, French B, Neveu W, Goetinck PF. Syndesmos, a syndecan-4 cytoplasmic domain interactor, binds to the focal adhesion adaptor proteins paxillin and Hic-5. J Biol Chem. 2002 Apr 5;277(14):12270-4.

Echtermeyer F, Streit M, Wilcox-Adelman S, Saoncella S, Denhez F, Detmar M, Goetinck P. Delayed wound repair and impaired angiogenesis in mice lacking syndecan-4. J Clin Invest. 2001 Jan;107(2):R9-R14.

PubMed:
Click here for a list of publications (searches the National Library of Medicine's PubMed database.)