Dan A. Dixon, Ph.D.

Professor
Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute

Ph.D., Northwestern University
B.A., Augustana University

Email: ddixon2@uams.edu
Office: 501-526-2272 ext. 24008 – WPRCI.10203
Lab: WPRCI 947, 951

My laboratory studies how loss of post-transcriptional gene regulation can influence tumorigenesis. Commonly observed in tumors is overexpression of many oncogenic and inflammation-associated genes. These genes allow the tumors to proliferate, promote angiogenesis, escape apoptosis, and metastasize. In normal cells, post-transcriptional mechanisms involving RNA-binding proteins and microRNAs target oncogenic mRNAs for rapid degradation. However, this critical mechanism is commonly lost in tumor cells allowing for oncogenic gene overexpression. By understanding these mechanisms, we have identified new factors in this pathway as early-detection biomarkers and cancer drug targets. By developing these new molecular targets, we hope to control oncogenic gene expression in tumors and improve on cancer prevention and treatments.

Afroz S, Preet R, Vishwakarma V, Evans AE, Magstadt AN, Dixon DA. Regulation of autophagy by Rab27B in colorectal cancer. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2024. Pub Med Reference

Arteaga-Blanco LA, Evans AE, Dixon DA. Plasma-Derived Extracellular Vesicles and Non-Extracellular Vesicle Components from APC(Min/+) Mice Promote Pro-Tumorigenic Activities and Activate Human Colonic Fibroblasts via the NF-κB Signaling Pathway. Cells. 2024. Pub Med Reference

Finan JM, Sutton TL, Dixon DA, Brody JR. Targeting the RNA-Binding Protein HuR in Cancer. Cancer Res. 2023. Pub Med Reference

Xiao H, Ye X, Vishwakarma V, Preet R, Dixon DA. CRC-derived exosomes containing the RNA binding protein HuR promote lung cell proliferation by stabilizing c-Myc mRNA. Cancer Biol Ther. 2022. Pub Med Reference

Legrand N, Dixon DA, Sobolewski C. Stress granules in colorectal cancer: Current knowledge and potential therapeutic applications. World J Gastroenterol. 2020 Pub Med Reference

Schultz CW, Preet R, Dhir T, Dixon DA, Brody JR. Understanding and targeting the disease-related RNA binding protein human antigen R (HuR). Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA. 2020. Pub Med Reference

Monteleone NJ, Moore AE, Iacona JR, Lutz CS, Dixon DA. miR-21-mediated regulation of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase in colon cancer. Sci Rep. 2019 Pub Med Reference

Dixon DA, Peterson E, Davis A. Stolen-colon storm could boost cancer screening. Nature. 2019 Pub Med Reference

Peng W, Furuuchi N, Aslanukova L, Huang YH, Brown SZ, Jiang W, Addya S, Vishwakarma V, Peters E, Brody JR, Dixon DA, Sawicki JA. Elevated HuR in Pancreas Promotes a Pancreatitis-Like Inflammatory Microenvironment That Facilitates Tumor Development. Mol Cell Biol. 2018. Pub Med Reference

Lal S, Cheung EC, Zarei M, Preet R, Chand SN, Mambelli-Lisboa NC, Romeo C, Stout MC, Londin E, Goetz A, Lowder CY, Nevler A, Yeo CJ, Campbell PM, Winter JM, Dixon DA*, Brody JR*. CRISPR Knockout of the HuR Gene Causes a Xenograft Lethal Phenotype. Mol Cancer Res. 2017. *Co-corresponding authors. Pub Med Reference

Blanco FF, Preet R, Aguado A, Vishwakarma V, Stevens LE, Vyas A, Padhye S, Xu L, Weir SJ, Anant S, Meisner-Kober N, Brody JR, Dixon DA. Impact of HuR inhibition by the small molecule MS-444 on colorectal cancer cell tumorigenesis. Oncotarget. 2016. Pub Med Reference

Sobolewski C, Sanduja S, Blanco FF, Hu L, Dixon DA. (2015) Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Activate Tristetraprolin Expression Through Induction of Early Growth Response Protein 1 (EGR1) in Colorectal Cancer Cells. Biomolecules, 5:2035-2055. Pub Med Reference

Blanco FF, Sanduja S, Deane NG, Blackshear PJ, Dixon DA. (2014) TGF-beta regulates P-body formation through induction of the mRNA decay factor tristetraprolin. Mol. Cell. Biol. 34:180-195. Pub Med Reference

Rounbehler RJ, Fallahi M, Yang C, Steeves MA, Li W, Doherty JR, Schaub FX, Sanduja S, Dixon DA, Blackshear PJ, Cleveland JL. (2012) Tristetraprolin is a Tumor Suppressor that Impairs Myc-Induced Lymphoma and Abolishes the Malignant State. Cell, 150:563-574. Pub Med Reference

Young LE, Sanduja S, Bemis-Standoli K, Pena EA, Price RL, Dixon DA. (2009) The mRNA Binding Proteins HuR and Tristetraprolin Regulate Cyclooxygenase 2 Expression During Colon Carcinogenesis. Gastroenterology, 136:1669-1679. Pub Med Reference

Dixon DA, Tolley ND, King PH, Nabors LB, McIntyre TM, Zimmerman GA, Prescott SM. (2001) Altered Expression of the mRNA Stability Factor HuR Promotes Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Colon Cancer Cells. J. Clin. Invest. 108:1657-1665. Pub Med Reference

Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography.
More: Google Scholar Profile