Brian C Tooker

Publications (2)7.34 Total impact

• Article: Proteomic detection of cancer in asbestosis patients using SELDI-TOF discovered serum protein biomarkers.

  Brian C Tooker, Lee S Newman, Russell P Bowler, Antti Karjalainen, Panu Oksa, Harri Vainio, Eero Pukkala, Paul W Brandt-Rauf
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  ABSTRACT: To identify biomarkers for cancer in asbestosis patients. SELDI-TOF and CART were used to identify serum biomarker profiles in 35 asbestosis patients who subsequently developed cancer and 35 did not develop cancer. Three polypeptide peaks (5707.01, 6598.10, and 20,780.70 Da) could predict the development of cancer with 87% sensitivity and 70% specificity. The first two peaks were identified as KIF18A and KIF5A, respectively, and are part of the Kinesin Superfamily of proteins. We identified two Kinesin proteins that can be potentially used as blood biomarkers to identify asbestosis patients at risk of developing lung cancer.
  Biomarkers 03/2011; 16(2):181-91. · 2.21 Impact Factor
• Article: Beryllium-induced TNF-alpha production is transcription-dependent in chronic beryllium disease.

  Richard T Sawyer, Andrew P Fontenot, Tristan A Barnes, Charles E Parsons, Brian C Tooker, Lisa A Maier, May M Gillespie, E Brigitte Gottschall, Lori Silveira, James Hagman, Lee S Newman
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  ABSTRACT: Beryllium (Be)-antigen presentation to Be-specific CD4(+) T cells from the lungs of patients with chronic beryllium disease (CBD) results in T cell proliferation and TNF-alpha secretion. We tested the hypothesis that Be-induced, CBD bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) T cell, transcription-dependent, TNF-alpha secretion was accompanied by specific transcription factor upregulation. After 6 h of Be stimulation, CBD BAL cells produced a median of 883 pg/ml TNF-alpha (range, 608-1,275 pg/ml) versus 198 pg/ml (range, 116-245 pg/ml) by unstimulated cells. After 12 h CBD BAL cells produced a median of 2,963 pg/ml (range, 99-9,424 pg/ml) TNF-alpha versus 55 pg/ml (range, 0-454) by unstimulated cells. Using real-time RT-PCR, Be-stimulated TNF-alpha production at 6 h was preceded by a 5-fold increase in TNF-alpha pre-mRNA copy number:beta-actin copy number (Be median ratio 0.21; unstimulated median ratio 0.04). The median ratio of mature TNF-alpha mRNA:beta-actin mRNA was upregulated 1.4-fold (Be median ratio 0.17; unstimulated median ratio 0.12). Be exposure in the presence of the transcription inhibitor pentoxifylline (PTX) decreased CBD BAL cell TNF-alpha pre-mRNA levels > 60%, whereas treatment with the mRNA splicing inhibitor 2-aminopurine (2AP) decreased levels 40% relative to Be exposure alone. PTX treatment decreased mature TNF-alpha mRNA levels 50% while 2AP decreased levels > 80%, relative to Be exposure alone. Beryllium exposure specifically upregulated transcription factors AP-1 and NF-kappaB. The data suggest that Be exposure induces transcription-dependent TNF-alpha production, potentially due to upregulation of specific transcription factors.
  American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology 03/2007; 36(2):191-200. · 5.13 Impact Factor