M. Sue O’Dorisio M.D., Ph.D.
sue-odorisioatuiowadotedu
UI Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics

Nervous system tumors are the most common cause of death from pediatric malignancies and rank second only to accidents as a cause of death in this age group. These cancers arise in the developing nervous system or neural crest during fetal growth or infancy. Neuropeptides are both neurotransmitters and important modulators of neurodevelopment. Vasoactive intestinal peptide is both a differentiation factor and a neuroprotective agent. Somatostatin is a potent modulator of growth factor release and also modulates the signal transduction pathway for multiple growth factors. We are studying the role of vasoactive intestinal peptide and somatostatin in development of the neural crest and cerebellum using transgenic and knock out mice. Understanding of the role of neuropeptides in neural crest development should allow us to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic options for children with neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma.

Selected Publications

Balster DA, O'Dorisio MS, Albers AR, Park SK, Qualman SJ. Suppression of tumorigenicity in neuroblastoma cells by upregulation of human vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor type 1 (hVPAC1). Regulatory Peptides 109(1-3):155-165, 2002.

Karacay B, O'Dorisio MS, Summers M, Robinson M, Bonthius DJ: Regulation of VIP receptor 1 (VPAC1) expression in central and peripheral nervous system. Regulatory Peptides, 114(1):51-60, 2003.

Fruhwald MC, Rickert CH, O’Dorisio MS, Madsen M, Warmuth-Metz M, Khanna G, Paulus W, Kuhl J, Jurgens H, Muller HL: Somatostatin receptor subtype 2 is expressed by supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors of childhood and can be targeted for somatostatin receptor imaging. Clin Cancer Res 10(9):2997-3006, 2004.

Sall JW, Klisovic DD, O’Doirsio MS: Somatostatin inhibits IGF-1 mediated induction of VEGF in human retinal pigment epithelial cells. Experimental Eye Research, in press, 2004.