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Ahmad, Nihal
 Nihal Ahmad, PhD
Associate Professor
Research Area- Skin Cancer. Tumor Promotion/Prevention. Molecular mechanism of ultraviolet radiation-mediated carcinogenesis; signal transduction (especially regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis) in tumor promotion and prevention
Home Dept - Dermatology
Affiliated Depts - Molecular and Environmental Toxicology; Cellular and Molecular Biology
Address
Dermatology Department
School of Medicine and Public Health
B-25 Medical Sciences Center
1300 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: 608/263-5359 - Email
Research
The major focus of my laboratory is Prostate, Breast and Skin Cancers. Our research pursues three major lines of investigation; i) Mechanism of cancer development and identification of molecular targets for intervention, ii) Chemoprevention of cancer by plant-based agents, and iii) Complementary and Alternative Approaches for the prevention and treatment of skin cancer. We are studying the molecular mechanism(s) of ultraviolet (UV) radiation-mediated cutaneous damages. We also study the potential of resveratrol (trans-3, 5, 4-trihydroxystilbene), an antioxidant found in grapes, red wines and a variety of nuts and berries, for the prevention/treatment of skin cancer. Our work has shown the involvement of i) cki-cyclin-cdk network, and MAPK-pathway, ii) Survivin signaling in photoprotective effects of resveratrol in vivo. We have shown that resveratrol prevents UVB exposure-mediated skin carcinogenesis in SKH-1 hairless mice.
My laboratory also studies the chemopreventive/therapeutic potential of melatonin, a pineal hormone and a strong antioxidant, in the management of cancer. Another aim is to define the role of the Polo-Like Kinase (PLK) family of mitotic kinases in the development of prostate and skin cancers. Further, we are investigating the role of sirtuin (SIRT) proteins that belong to the family of type III histone deacetylases (HDAC’s), in cancer development. This research has indicated that SIRT proteins are overexpressed in prostate cancer and may possibly serve as a novel target for the development of therapeutics as well as potential biomarkers for prostate cancer.
Recent Publications- Ahsan H, Reagan-Shaw S, Eggert DM, Tan TC, Afaq F, Mukhtar H, Ahmad N. Protective effect of sanguinarine on ultraviolet B-mediated damages in SKH-1 hairless mouse skin: implications for prevention of skin cancer. Photochem Photobiol. 2007 83(4):986-93.
- Schmit TL, Ahmad N. Regulation of mitosis via mitotic kinases: new opportunities for cancer management. Mol Cancer Ther 2007 (7):1920–31.
- Reagan-Shaw S and Ahmad N: RNA interference mediated depletion of PI3K activates FoxO forkhead transcription factors and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in breast carcinoma cells. Cancer Res 66: 1062-1069, 2006.
- Reagan-Shaw S, Breur J, and Ahmad N: Enhancement of ultraviolet B radiation-mediated apoptosis by sanguinarine in HaCaT human immortalized keratinocytes. Mol Cancer Ther 5:418-429, 2006.
- Aziz MH, Nihal M, Fu VX, Jarrard DF and Ahmad N: Resveratrol-caused apoptosis of human prostate carcinoma LNCaP cells is mediated via modulation of PI3K/Akt pathway and Bcl-2 family proteins. Mol Cancer Ther 5: 1335- 1341, 2006.
- Jung B and Ahmad N: Melatonin in Cancer Management: Progress and Promise. Cancer Res 66: 9789-9793, 2006.
- Reagan-Shaw S and Ahmad N: Silencing of polo like kinase (Plk) 1 via siRNA causes induction of apoptosis and impairment of mitosis-machinery in human prostate cancer cells: Implications for the treatment of prostate cancer. FASEB J 19: 611-3, 2005. A detailed version of this paper is available at Click Here .
- Aziz MH, Afaq F and Ahmad N: Prevention of ultraviolet B radiation-damage by resveratrol in mouse skin is mediated via modulation in Survivin. Photochem Photobiol 81: 25-31, 2005.
- Aziz MH, Reagan-Shaw S, Wu J, Longley BJ and Ahmad N: Chemoprevention of skin cancer by grape constituent resveratrol: Relevance to human disease? FASEB J 19: 1193-1195, 2005. A detailed version of this paper is available at Click Here .
- Ahmad N: Polo like kinase (Plk) 1: A novel target for the treatment of prostate cancer. FASEB J 18: 5-7, 2004.
- Ahmad N and Mukhtar H: Toxicology of the skin: new and emerging concepts. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 195: 265-266, 2004.
- Reagan-Shaw S, Afaq N, Aziz MH and Ahmad N: Modulations of critical cell cycle regulatory events during chemoprevention of ultraviolet B-mediated responses by resveratrol in SKH-1 hairless mouse skin. Oncogene 23: 5151-5160, 2004.
- Adhami VM, Aziz MH, Reagan-Shaw S, Nihal M, Mukhtar H and Ahmad N: Sanguinarine causes cell cycle blockade and apoptosis of human prostate carcinoma cells via modulation of cyclin kinase inhibitor-cyclin-cyclin dependent kinase machinery. Mol Cancer Ther 3: 933-940, 2004.
- Afaq F, Adhami VM, Ahmad N: Prevention of short-term ultraviolet B radiation-mediated damages by resveratrol in SKH-1 hairless mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 186: 28-37, 2003.
- Adhami VM, Afaq F and Ahmad N: Suppression of ultraviolet B exposure-mediated activation of NF-kB in normal human keratinocytes by resveratrol. Neoplasia 5: 74-82, 2003.
- Aziz MH, Kumar R and Ahmad N: Cancer chemoprevention by resveratrol: In vitro and in vivo studies; and the underlying mechanisms. Intl J Oncol 23: 17-28, 2003.
- Adhami VM, Aziz MH, Mukhtar H and Ahmad N: Activation of pro-death Bcl-2 family proteins and mitochondria apoptosis pathway in immortalized human HaCaT keratinocytes by sanguinarine. Clin Cancer Res 9: 3176-3182, 2003.
Check PubMed for other publications by Nihal Ahmad
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