Warren E. Zimmer, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Systems Biology & Translational Medicine
Education
- Postdoctoral Studies: Vanderbilt University College of Medicine
- Ph.D. Baylor College of Medicine
Phone: 979-845-2896
FAX: 979-845-0699
e-mail: wezimmer@medicine.tamhsc.edu
Curriculum Vitae pdf | rtf
Zimmer, D.B., Chessher, J., Wilson, G., and Zimmer, W.E. S100A1 and S100B expression and target proteins in type I diabetes. Endocrinology, 138:5176-5183, 1997.
Kovacs, A.M. and Zimmer, W.E. Cell specific transcription of the smooth muscle g-actin gene requires both positive and negative acting cis-elements. Gene Express. 7:115-129, 1998.
Browning, C.L., Culberson, D.E., Aragon, I.V., Fillmore, R.A., Croissant, J.D., Schwartz, R.J., and Zimmer, W.E. The developmentally regulated expression of serum response factor plays a major role in the regulation of smooth muscle specific gene regulation. Dev. Biol., 194:18-37, 1998.
Bao, L., Varden, C. E., Zimmer, W.E., and Balczon, R.D. Localization of autoepitopes on the PCM-1 autoantigen using scleroderma sera with autoantibodies against the centrosome. Mol. Biol. Rep. 25:111-119, 1998.
Vacik, J., Dean, B.S., Zimmer, W. E., and Dean, D. A. Cell specific nuclear of plasmid DNA. Gene Therapy 6:1006-1014, 1999.
Zimmer, W.E., Zho, Y., Sikorski, A.F., Critz, S.D., Sangerman, J., Elferink, L.A., Xu, S.X., and Goodman, S.R. The domain of brain beta spectrin responsible for synaptic vesicle association is essential for synaptic transmission. Brain Res. 881:18-27, 2000.
Zagon, I.S., Verdermae, M.F., Zimmer, W.E., and McLaughlin, P.J. Molecular characterization and distribution of the opioid growth factor (OGFr) in mouse. Mol. Brain Res. 84:106-114, 2000.
Carson, J.A., Fillmore, R.A., Schwartz, R.J., and Zimmer, W.E. The smooth muscle gamma-actin gene promoter is a molecular target for the mouse bagpipe homologue, mNkx 3.1,and serum response factor. J Biol. Chem. 275:39061-39072, 2000.
Fillmore, R. and Zimmer, W.E. Identification and expression of mRNAs encoding homeobox proteins Hox-b5 and Hox-b6 in developing chicken gizzard tissues. Cell Mol. Biol. Lett.5: 495-509, 2000.
Kakhniashvili, D.G., Chaudrary, T., Zimmer, W.E., Bencsanth, F.A., Jardin, I., and Goodman, S.R. Spectrin is an E2/E3 ubiquitin conjugating/ligating enzyme. Biochemistry 40:11630-11642, 2001.
Wei, J., Dong, X-R., Topouzis, S., Zimmer, W.E., Broders, F., Thiery, J.P., Koteliansky, V., and Majesky, M.W. Molecular cloning of chick cadherin 11 and its expression during smooth muscle development and formation of the tunica media. In Press, Circulation, 2001.
Hirschi, K.K., Beliguli, N.S., Schwartz, R.J., and Zimmer, W.E. TGF-b induction of smooth muscle phenotype requires transcriptional and translational control of serum response factor. In Press, J. Biol. Chem, 2001.
Fillmore, R. A. and Zimmer, W.E. SRF and Nkx 3.1-regulated expression of the smooth muscle gamma actin mRNA within prostate epithelial cells. Submitted, 2001.
Hsu, J., Zimmer, W.E., and Goodman, S.R. A recombinant a-spectrin peptide containing repeat a20 to the C-terminus contains E2/E3 ubiquitin conjugating/ligating activity and ubiquitin target sites. Abstract-23rd Annual Meeting National Sickle Cell Centers, San Francisco, CA. (2004).
Young, J.L., Zimmer, W.E., and Dean, D.A. Vascular gene transfer: Use of electroporation and smooth muscle specific vectors. Endothelium 10:337, 2004.
Our research interests are directed towards understanding the complex mechanisms which regulate the expression of specific gene sequences in development. We have focused our studies upon the factors that influence the smooth muscle component of the developing gastrointestinal (G.I.) tract. It has been shown that smooth muscle cells are predominantly derived from mesodermal precursor cells, however the factors regulating the selection of the smooth muscle myogenic pathway is not well defined.
We have shown that there is a definant lineage of smooth muscle during development and that the terminal differentiation of these cells requires an upregulation in expression of the trans-factor Serum Response Factor (SRF). This factor is known to work in conjunction with other partner proteins to engage cell specific transcriptional responses. Current studies in the lab are focused upon determining the identity of these partner proteins and showing how they work with SRF to achieve smooth muscle terminal differentiation. We have initiated these experiments looking at the mammalian homologs of the Drosophila bagpipe protein, termed Nkx3.1 and Nkx3.2. The studies utilize molecular and cellular biological techniques in combination with transgenic mouse knockout technologies to directly examine the ability of these factors to influence development.
Additionally, our recent transgenic studies have allowed an investigation of signaling pathways potentially governing smooth muscle cell differentiation. Interestingly, these studies have shown a convergence of pathways upon SRF in smooth muscle and these pathways may be influential in developing prostate and osteogenesis. We believe that our studies will reveal molecular mechanisms which underlie changes in metabolism growth control in smooth muscle which are associated with the primary physiological responses of these cells in vascular and viscual injury and disease states. In addition we will gain knowledge of mechanisms that are influential for bone and prostate development and disease, such as prostate cancer.
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