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  Georg F. Weber
Professor
Pharmacy Weber Lab - 0514
Medical Sciences Building - 3310
513-558-0947
webergf@ucmail.uc.edu


 

Professional Summary

  Dr. Georg F. Weber has made contributions to metastasis research by discovering the interaction between the molecules osteopontin and CD44 and by defining the physiologic role of metastasis genes as stress response genes. While he continues to address fundamental questions, he is researching new venues for diagnosis and therapy of cancer progression.


Publications

 

Peer Reviewed Publications

 

Mirza M, Shaughnessy E, Hurley JK, Vanpatten KA, Pestano GA, He B, Weber GF (2008). Osteopontin-c is a highly selective marker for breast cancer. International Journal of Cancer, 122, 889-897.

 

Whalen KA, Weber GF, Benjamin TL, Schaffhausen BS (2008). Polyomavirus middle T antigen induces the transcription of osteopontin, a gene important for migration of transformed cells. The Journal of Virology, 82, 4946-4954.

 

Syed M, Fenoglio-Preiser C, Skau KA, Weber GF (2008). Acetylcholinesterase supports anchorage independence in colon cancer. Clinical and Experimental Metastasis, 25, 787-798.

 

Sullivan J, Blair L, Alnajar A, Aziz T, Ng CY, Chipitsyna G, Gong Q, Witkiewicz A, Weber GF, Denhardt DT, Yeo CJ, Arafat HA. (2009). Expression of a prometastatic splice variant of osteopontin, OPNC, in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Surgery, 146, 232-240.

 

Weber GF (2010). Molecular genetics and metastasis. Encyclopedia of Life Sciences, DOI 10.1002/9780470015902.a0022447.

 

Weber GF (2010). Toward a molecular classification of cancer. Biomarker Theme Issue of Toxicology, 278, 195-198.

 

Weber GF, Lett GS, Haubein NC (2010). Osteopontin is a marker for cancer aggressiveness and patient survival. British Journal of Cancer, 103, 861-869.

 

Tilli TM, Franco VF, Robbs BK, Wanderley JL, Silva F, Duarte de Mello K, Viola JPB, Weber GF, Gimba ERP (2011). Osteopontin-c splicing isoform contributes to ovarian cancer progression. Molecular Cancer Research, 9, 280-293.

 

Shen H, Weber GF (2014). The osteopontin-c splice junction is important for anchorage-independent growth. Molecular Carcinogenesis, 53, 480-487.

 

Shi Z, Mirza M, Wang B, Kennedy MA, Weber GF (2014). Osteopontin-a alters glucose homeostasis in anchorage-independent breast cancer cells. Cancer Letters, 344, 47-53.

 

Weber GF (2011). The cancer biomarker Osteopontin: Combination with other markers. Cancer Genomics and Proteomics, 8, 263-288.

 

Weber GF, Johnson BN, Yamamoto BK, Gudelsky GA (2014). Effects of stress and MDMA on hippocampal gene expression. BioMed Research International, 2014, 141396.DOI:10.1155/2014/141396

 

Hartung F, Weber GF (2013). RNA blood levels of osteopontin splice variants are cancer markers. SpringerPlus, 2, 110.

 

Wang B, Shi Z, Weber GF, Kennedy MA (2013). Introduction of a new critical p value correction method for statistical significance analysis of metabonomics data. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 405, 8419-8429.

 

Ramchandani D, Weber GF (2013). An osteopontin promoter polymorphism is associated with aggressiveness in breast cancer. Oncology Reports, 30, 1860-1868.

 

Weber GF (2013). Gene therapy--why can it fail?. Medical Hypotheses, 80, 613-616.

 

Weber GF, Lett GS, Haubein NC (2011). Categorical meta-analysis of Osteopontin as a clinical cancer marker. Oncology Reports, 25, 433-441.

 

Zhang R, Pan X, Huang Z, Weber GF, Zhang G (2011). Osteopontin enhances the expression and activity of MMP-2 via the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. PloS One, 6, e23831.

 

Weber GF (2008). Molecular mechanisms of metastasis. Cancer Letters, 270, 181-190.

 

Milanowski P, Carter TJ, Weber GF (2013). Enzyme catalysis and the outcome of biochemical reactions. Journal of Proteomics and Bioinformatics, 6, 132-141.

 

Weber GF (2013). Dynamic knowledge - a century of evolution. Sociology Mind, 3, 268-277.

 

Weber GF, Warren J, Shoma H, Chen T, Halim A, Chakravarty G (2012). Biomarkers - A pot of gold or a can of worms? Meeting report from the 2nd world congress on biomarkers in clinical research, 2011, Baltimore, USA. Cancer Biology & Therapy, 13, 831-835.

 

Shi Z, Wang B, Kennedy MA, Weber GF (2014). Metabolic skewing during anchorage independence. Induction by osteopontin-c. PlosOne, 9, e105675.

 

Mesa C Jr, Mirza M, Mitsutake N, Sartor M, Medvedovic M, Tomlinson C, Knauf JA, Weber GF, Fagin JA (2006). Conditional activation of RET/PTC3 and BRAFV600E in thyroid cells is associated with gene expression profiles that predict a preferential role of BRAF in extracellular matrix remodeling. Cancer Research, 66, 6521-6529.

 

Weber GF (2012). Why does cancer therapy lack effective anti-metastasis drugs?. Cancer Letters, 328, 207-211.

 

Zduniak K, Ziolkowski P, Ahlin C, Agrawal A, Agrawal S, Blomqvist C, Fjällskog ML, Weber GF (2015). Nuclear Osteopontin-c is a marker for breast cancer prognosis. British Journal of Cancer, 112, 729-738.

 

He B, Mirza M, Weber GF (2006). An osteopontin splice variant induces anchorage independence in human breast cancer cells. Oncogene, 25, 2192-2202.

 

Weber GF (2015). Somnambulism and allergy. Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology, 6, 321.

 

Weber GF (2015). Molecular analysis of a recurrent sarcoma identifies a mutation in FAF1. Sarcoma, 839182, doi:10.1155/2015/839182.

 

Weber GF (2004). The absence of CD44 ameliorates Faslpr/lpr disease. Autoimmunity, 37, 1-8.

 

Ramchandani D, Weber GF (2015). Interactions between OPN and VEGF in health and disease. Implications for cancer. BBA Reviews on Cancer, 1855, 202-222.

 

He B, Weber GF (2004). Synergistic activation of the CMV promoter by NF-kB P50 and Cyclic GMP-Dependent Kinase. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 321, 13-20.

 

Ramchandani D, Weber GF (2015). Interactions between OPN and VEGF in health and disease. Implications for the skeletal system. Bone, 81, 7-15.

 

Craig-Mylius C, Weber GF, Coburn JL, Glickstein LG (2005). Borrelia burgdorferi, an extracellular pathogen, circumvents osteopontin in inducing an inflammatory cytokine response. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 77, 710-718.

 

Weber GF (2009). Drug targets in cancer metastasis. American Association For Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting Education Book, 137-140.

 

Weber GF (2016). (In Press).Metabolism in cancer metastasis. International Journal of Cancer.

 

Unruh D, Ünlu B, Lewis CS, Qi X, Chu Z, Sturm R, Keil R, Ahmad SA, Sovershaev T, Adam M, Van Dreden P, Woodhams BJ, Ramchandani D, Weber GF, Rak JW, Wolberg AS, Mackman N, Versteeg HH, Bogdanov VY (2016). (In Press).Antibody-based targeting of alternatively spliced Tissue Factor: a new approach to impede the primary growth and aggressiveness of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Oncotarget.

 

Alsarkhi, L. K., & Weber, G. F. (2018). Anti?osteopontin autoantibodies in various types of cancer. Oncology Reports, 40(6), 3879-3889.DOI:10.3892/or.2018.6768

 

Walaszek, K., Lower, E. E., Ziolkowski, P., & Weber, G. F. (2018). Breast cancer risk in premalignant lesions: osteopontin splice variants indicate prognosis. British Journal of Cancer, 119(10), 1259-1266.DOI:10.1038/s41416-018-0228-1

 

Weber, Georg F (2018). The Phylogeny of Osteopontin-Analysis of the Protein Sequence. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(9). DOI:10.3390/ijms19092557

 

Hartung, F., Wang, Y., Aronow, B., & Weber, G. F. (2017). A core program of gene expression characterizes cancer metastases. Oncotarget, 8(60), 102161-102175.DOI:10.18632/oncotarget.22240

 

Briones-Orta, M. A., Avendaño-Vázquez, S. E., Ivette Aparicio-Bautista, D., Coombes, J. D., Weber, G. F., & Syn, W. (2017). Prediction of transcription factor bindings sites affected by SNPs located at the osteopontin promoter. Data in Brief, 14, 538-542.DOI:10.1016/j.dib.2017.07.057

 

Briones-Orta, M. A., Avendaño-Vázquez, S. E., Aparicio-Bautista, D. I., Coombes, J. D., Weber, G. F., & Syn, W. (2017). Osteopontin splice variants and polymorphisms in cancer progression and prognosis. Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. Reviews on Cancer, 1868(1), 93-108.A.DOI:10.1016/j.bbcan.2017.02.005

 

Weber, Georg F (2016). Time and Circumstances: Cancer Cell Metabolism at Various Stages of Disease Progression. Frontiers in Oncology, 6, 257.DOI:10.3389/fonc.2016.00257

 

Ramchandani, D., Unruh, D., Lewis, C. S., Bogdanov, V. Y., & Weber, G. F. (2016). Activation of carbonic anhydrase IX by alternatively spliced tissue factor under late-stage tumor conditions. Laboratory Investigation; A Journal of Technical Methods and Pathology, 96(12), 1234-1245.DOI:10.1038/labinvest.2016.103

 

Zduniak, K., Agrawal, A., Agrawal, S., Hossain, M. M., Ziolkowski, P., & Weber, G. F. (2016). Osteopontin splice variants are differential predictors of breast cancer treatment responses. BMC Cancer, 16, 441.DOI:10.1186/s12885-016-2484-x

 

Unruh, D., Ünlü, B., Lewis, C. S., Qi, X., Chu, Z., Sturm, R., Keil, R., Ahmad, S. A., Sovershaev, T., Adam, M., Van Dreden, P., Woodhams, B. J., Ramchandani, D., Weber, G. F., Rak, J. W., Wolberg, A. S., Mackman, N., Versteeg, H. H., & Bogdanov, V. Y. (2016). Antibody-based targeting of alternatively spliced tissue factor: a new approach to impede the primary growth and spread of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Oncotarget, 7(18), 25264-75.DOI:10.18632/oncotarget.7955

 

Weber, Georg F (2016). Metabolism in cancer metastasis. International Journal of Cancer, 138(9), 2061-6.DOI:10.1002/ijc.29839

 

Ramchandani, D., & Weber, G. F. (2015). Interactions between osteopontin and vascular endothelial growth factor: Implications for skeletal disorders. Bone, 81, 7-15.DOI:10.1016/j.bone.2015.05.047

 

Ramchandani, D., & Weber, G. F. (2015). Interactions between osteopontin and vascular endothelial growth factor: Implications for cancer. Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, 1855(2), 202-22.DOI:10.1016/j.bbcan.2015.02.003

 

Zduniak, K., Ziolkowski, P., Ahlin, C., Agrawal, A., Agrawal, S., Blomqvist, C., Fjällskog, M., & Weber, G. F. (2015). Nuclear osteopontin-c is a prognostic breast cancer marker. British Journal of Cancer, 112(4), 729-38.DOI:10.1038/bjc.2014.664

 

Weber, Georg F (2015). Molecular Analysis of a Recurrent Sarcoma Identifies a Mutation in FAF1. Sarcoma, 2015, 839182.DOI:10.1155/2015/839182

 

Shi, Z., Wang, B., Chihanga, T., Kennedy, M. A., & Weber, G. F. (2014). Energy metabolism during anchorage-independence. Induction by osteopontin-c. PloS One, 9(8), e105675.DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0105675

 

Weber, Georg F (2013). Why does cancer therapy lack effective anti-metastasis drugs?. Cancer Letters, 328(2), 207-11.DOI:10.1016/j.canlet.2012.09.025

 

Weber, Georg F The cancer biomarker osteopontin: combination with other markers. Cancer Genomics & Proteomics, 8(6), 263-88.

 

Tilli, T. M., Franco, V. F., Robbs, B. K., Wanderley, J. L. M., da Silva, F. R. d. A., de Mello, K. D., Viola, J. P. B., Weber, G. F., & Gimba, E. R. (2011). Osteopontin-c splicing isoform contributes to ovarian cancer progression. Molecular Cancer Research : MCR, 9(3), 280-93.DOI:10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-10-0463

 

Weber, Georg F (2010). Toward a molecular classification of cancer. Toxicology, 278(2), 195-8.DOI:10.1016/j.tox.2009.10.016

 

Weber, G. F., Lett, G. S., & Haubein, N. C. (2010). Osteopontin is a marker for cancer aggressiveness and patient survival. British Journal of Cancer, 103(6), 861-9.DOI:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605834

 

Sullivan, J., Blair, L., Alnajar, A., Aziz, T., Ng, C. Y., Chipitsyna, G., Gong, Q., Witkiewicz, A., Weber, G. F., Denhardt, D. T., Yeo, C. J., & Arafat, H. A. (2009). Expression of a prometastatic splice variant of osteopontin, OPNC, in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Surgery, 146(2), 232-40.DOI:10.1016/j.surg.2009.03.036

 

Whalen, K. A., Weber, G. F., Benjamin, T. L., & Schaffhausen, B. S. (2008). Polyomavirus middle T antigen induces the transcription of osteopontin, a gene important for the migration of transformed cells. Journal of Virology, 82(10), 4946-54.DOI:10.1128/JVI.02650-07

 

Mirza, M., Shaughnessy, E., Hurley, J. K., Vanpatten, K. A., Pestano, G. A., He, B., & Weber, G. F. (2008). Osteopontin-c is a selective marker of breast cancer. International Journal of Cancer, 122(4), 889-97.DOI:10.1002/ijc.23204

 

Syed, M., Fenoglio-Preiser, C., Skau, K. A., & Weber, G. F. (2008). Acetylcholinesterase supports anchorage independence in colon cancer. Clinical & Experimental Metastasis, 25(7), 787-98.DOI:10.1007/s10585-008-9192-0

 

Fnu, G., & Weber, G. F. (2023). Osteopontin induces mitochondrial biogenesis in deadherent cancer cells. Oncotarget, 14, 957-969.DOI:10.18632/oncotarget.28540

 

Weber, Georg F (2023). Crossroads: the role of biomarkers in the management of lumps in the breast. Oncotarget, 14, 358-362.DOI:10.18632/oncotarget.28402

 

An, Y., Fnu, G., Xie, C., & Weber, G. F. (2023). Meta-analysis of Osteopontin splice variants in cancer. BMC Cancer, 23(1), 373.DOI:10.1186/s12885-023-10854-x

 

Fnu, G., Hudock, K., Powers-Fletcher, M., Huang, R., & Weber, G. F. (2022). Induction of a cytokine storm involves suppression of the Osteopontin-dependent TH1 response. Immunology, 167(2), 165-180.DOI:10.1111/imm.13524

 

Ziółkowski, P., Woźniak, M., Mansour, A., An, Y., & Weber, G. F. (2022). Breast cancer risk in papilloma patients: Osteopontin splice variants indicate prognosis. Breast Cancer Research : BCR, 24(1), 64.DOI:10.1186/s13058-022-01561-9

 

Fnu, G., & Weber, G. F. (2021). Alterations of Ion Homeostasis in Cancer Metastasis: Implications for Treatment. Frontiers in Oncology, 11, 765329.DOI:10.3389/fonc.2021.765329

 

Wang, X., & Weber, G. F. (2021). Quantitative Analysis of Protein Evolution: The Phylogeny of Osteopontin. Frontiers in Genetics, 12, 700789.DOI:10.3389/fgene.2021.700789

 

Fnu, G., Agrawal, P., Kundu, G. C., & Weber, G. F. (2021). Structural Constraint of Osteopontin Facilitates Efficient Binding to CD44. Biomolecules, 11(6). DOI:10.3390/biom11060813

 

Butti, R., Nimma, R., Kundu, G., Bulbule, A., Kumar, T. V. S., Gunasekaran, V. P., Tomar, D., Kumar, D., Mane, A., Gill, S. S., Patil, T., Weber, G. F., & Kundu, G. C. (2021). Tumor-derived osteopontin drives the resident fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation through Twist1 to promote breast cancer progression. Oncogene, 40(11), 2002-2017.DOI:10.1038/s41388-021-01663-2

 

Weber, Georg F (2020). Cancer research - can the entity be bigger than the sum of its parts?. Oncoscience, 7(3-4), 17-18.DOI:10.18632/oncoscience.499

 

Hartung, F., Patil, A., Meshram, R. J., & Weber, G. F. (2020). Gene expression signatures of site-specificity in cancer metastases. Clinical & Experimental Metastasis, 37(1), 159-171.DOI:10.1007/s10585-019-09995-w

 

Craig-Mylius, K., Weber, G. F., Coburn, J., & Glickstein, L. (2005). Borrelia burgdorferi, an extracellular pathogen, circumvents osteopontin in inducing an inflammatory cytokine response. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 77(5), 710-8.DOI:10.1189/jlb.0604356

 

Weber, Georg F (2004). The absence of CD44 ameliorates Fas(lpr/lpr) disease. Autoimmunity, 37(1), 1-8.DOI:10.1080/08916930310001630316

 

Zhang, G., He, B., & Weber, G. F. (2003). Growth factor signaling induces metastasis genes in transformed cells: molecular connection between Akt kinase and osteopontin in breast cancer. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 23(18), 6507-19.DOI:10.1128/MCB.23.18.6507-6519.2003

 

He, B., & Weber, G. F. (2003). Phosphorylation of NF-kappaB proteins by cyclic GMP-dependent kinase. A noncanonical pathway to NF-kappaB activation. European Journal of Biochemistry, 270(10), 2174-85.DOI:10.1046/j.1432-1033.2003.03574.x

 

Weber, G. F., Zawaideh, S., Hikita, S., Kumar, V. A., Cantor, H., & Ashkar, S. (2002). Phosphorylation-dependent interaction of osteopontin with its receptors regulates macrophage migration and activation. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 72(4), 752-61.

 

Weber, G. F., Bronson, R. T., Ilagan, J., Cantor, H., Schmits, R., & Mak, T. W. (2002). Absence of the CD44 gene prevents sarcoma metastasis. Cancer Research, 62(8), 2281-6.

 

Ashkar, S., Weber, G. F., Panoutsakopoulou, V., Sanchirico, M. E., Jansson, M., Zawaideh, S., Rittling, S. R., Denhardt, D. T., Glimcher, M. J., & Cantor, H. (2000). Eta-1 (osteopontin): an early component of type-1 (cell-mediated) immunity. Science (New York, N.Y.), 287(5454), 860-4.DOI:10.1126/science.287.5454.860

 

Weber, G. F., & Ashkar, S. (2000). Stress response genes: the genes that make cancer metastasize. Journal of Molecular Medicine (Berlin, Germany), 78(8), 404-8.DOI:10.1007/s001090000138

 

Weber, G F (1999). Final common pathways in neurodegenerative diseases: regulatory role of the glutathione cycle. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 23(8), 1079-86.DOI:10.1016/s0149-7634(99)00041-x

 

Pestano, G. A., Zhou, Y., Trimble, L. A., Daley, J., Weber, G. F., & Cantor, H. (1999). Inactivation of misselected CD8 T cells by CD8 gene methylation and cell death. Science (New York, N.Y.), 284(5417), 1187-91.DOI:10.1126/science.284.5417.1187

 

Weber, G. F., Mirza, N. M., Yunis, E. J., Dubey, D., & Cantor, H. (1997). Localization and treatment of an oxidation-sensitive defect within the TCR-coupled signalling pathway that is associated with normal and premature immunologic aging. Growth, Development, and Aging : GDA, 61(3-4), 191-207.

 

Weber, G. F., Daley, J., Kraeft, S. K., Chen, L. B., & Cantor, H. (1997). Measurement of apoptosis in heterogenous cell populations. Cytometry, 27(2), 136-44.DOI:10.1002/(sici)1097-0320(19970201)27:2<136::aid-cyto5>3.0.co;2-e

 

Weber, G. F., Ashkar, S., & Cantor, H. (1997). Interaction between CD44 and osteopontin as a potential basis for metastasis formation. Proceedings of the Association of American Physicians, 109(1), 1-9.

 

Weber, G. F., & Cantor, H. (1996). The immunology of Eta-1/osteopontin. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews, 7(3), 241-8.DOI:10.1016/s1359-6101(96)00030-5

 

Weber, G. F., Ashkar, S., Glimcher, M. J., & Cantor, H. (1996). Receptor-ligand interaction between CD44 and osteopontin (Eta-1). Science (New York, N.Y.), 271(5248), 509-12.DOI:10.1126/science.271.5248.509

 

Weber, G. F., Abromson-Leeman, S., & Cantor, H. (1995). A signaling pathway coupled to T cell receptor ligation by MMTV superantigen leading to transient activation and programmed cell death. Immunity, 2(4), 363-72.DOI:10.1016/1074-7613(95)90144-2

 

Weber, G F (1994). The pathophysiology of reactive oxygen intermediates in the central nervous system. Medical Hypotheses, 43(4), 223-30.DOI:10.1016/0306-9877(94)90070-1

 

Weber, G. F., & Cantor, H. (1994). Phosphatidylinositol synthesis is a proximal event in intracellular signaling coupled to T cell receptor ligation. Differential induction by conventional antigen and retroviral superantigen. Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 152(9), 4433-43.

 

Weber, G. F., & Waxman, D. J. (1993). Denitrosation of the anti-cancer drug 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea catalyzed by microsomal glutathione S-transferase and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 307(2), 369-78.DOI:10.1006/abbi.1993.1602

 

Chang, T. K., Weber, G. F., Crespi, C. L., & Waxman, D. J. (1993). Differential activation of cyclophosphamide and ifosphamide by cytochromes P-450 2B and 3A in human liver microsomes. Cancer Research, 53(23), 5629-37.

 

Weber, G. F., & Waxman, D. J. (1993). Activation of the anti-cancer drug ifosphamide by rat liver microsomal P450 enzymes. Biochemical Pharmacology, 45(8), 1685-94.DOI:10.1016/0006-2952(93)90310-s

 

Weber, G. F., & Bruch, H. P. (1993). Hydroxyethyl starch and diseases mediated by free radicals. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 14(1), 96-7.DOI:10.1016/0891-5849(93)90515-v

 

Weber, G. F., & Bruch, H. P. (1992). [The pharmacology of superoxide dismutase]. Die Pharmazie, 47(3), 159-67.

 

LeBlanc, G. A., Sundseth, S. S., Weber, G. F., & Waxman, D. J. (1992). Platinum anticancer drugs modulate P-450 mRNA levels and differentially alter hepatic drug and steroid hormone metabolism in male and female rats. Cancer Research, 52(3), 540-7.

 

Weber, G. F., & Nair, M. G. (1992). Inhibition of the neutrophil NADPH oxidase by folic acid and antagonists of the folic acid metabolism. Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 14(3), 523-38.DOI:10.3109/08923979209005409

 

Weber, G. F., Nair, M. G., & McCord, J. M. (1991). The antifolate 10-deazaaminopterin inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis and superoxide generation. Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 13(3), 379-93.DOI:10.3109/08923979109019712

 

Published Books

 

Georg F. Weber (2005). Cancer Therapy: Molecular Targets in Tumor-Host Interactions. Wymondham: Horizon Press.

 

Georg F. Weber (2007). Molecular Mechanisms of Malignancy in Cancer. Dordrecht: Springer.

 

Georg F. Weber (2015). Molecular Therapies of Cancer. Switzerland: Springer.

 

Positions and Work Experience

  2004 to Present College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati. Cincinnati,OH

  2000 -2004 Graduate Program in Immunology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine. Boston, MA

  1999 -2004 Tufts-New England Medical Center. Boston, MA

  1996 -2000 Department of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA

  1993 -1996 Department of Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA

  2006 to Present Graduate Program in Cell and Cancer Biology University of Cincinnati, OH

  2004 to Present Cancer Center University of Cincinnati

  2020 to Present Professor College of Pharmacy University of Cincinnati

 

Research and Practice Interests

  Cancers are increasingly classified on the molecular level (Weber 2007; Weber 2010a; Weber 2010b; Weber et al. 2012). Gain-of-function mutations of oncogenes or loss-of-function mutations of tumor suppressor genes underlie excessive cell division. Activation of senescence suppressor genes or inactivation of senescence genes underlies immortalization. While molecular studies have made their relation to the uncontrolled expansion of tumor cells obvious, it has not been clear why these defects also induce the ability to metastasize. Based on the phenotypes of knockout mice for various confirmed metastasis genes, we have identified the genetic basis of metastasis formation as aberrant expression or splicing of a unique set of developmentally non-essential genes (stress response genes) that physiologically mediate the homing of immune system cells. Metastasis genes encode homing receptors, their ligands, and extracellular matrix-degrading proteinases, which jointly cause invasion. The specific interaction of homing receptors on the tumor cell surface and their cognate cytokine ligands mediates migration and invasion. The organ preference of metastasis formation is determined by the particular identity of the homing receptors expressed on the tumor cell surface and their ligands (Weber/Ashkar 2000a,b; Ashkar et al. 2000; Weber 2008; Weber 2021). Metastases are generally characterized by a core program of gene expression that induces the oxidative metabolism, activates vascularization/tissue remodeling, silences extracellular matrix interactions, and alters ion homeostasis. This program distinguishes metastases from their originating primary tumors as well as from their target host tissues. Site-selectivity is accomplished through specific components that adjust to the target micro-environment (Hartung et al. 2017; Hartung et al. 2020; Fnu/Weber 2021).
 
Our laboratory has studied the cytokine osteopontin (Weber 2002; Weber 2018), which acts as a metastasis gene in multiple malignancies and is therefore a progression marker (Weber et al. 2010a; Weber et al. 2011; Weber 2011), which may act in conjunction with other molecules (Ramchandani/Weber 2015a,b). Based on the molecular mechanisms of osteopontin induction and function in cancer metastasis, we have established the following paradigms:
Osteopontin and variant CD44 interact. (Weber et al. 1996; Weber et al. 1997; Weber et al. 2002a; Weber et al. 1999; Weber et al. 2002b; Zhang et al. 2011).
Multiple osteopontin splice variants are expressed in invasive, but not in non-invasive, human tumor cells. (He et al. 2006; Shen/Weber 2014; Hartung/Weber 2013; An et al. 2023; Mirza et al. 2007; Sullivan et al. 2009; Tilli et al. 2011; Zduniak et al. 2015; Zduniak et al. 2016; Walasek et al. 2018; Ziolkowski et al. 2022; Weber 2023; AlSarkhi/Weber 2018).
Metastasis genes support anchorage-independence in an autocrine fashion. (Syed et al. 200; Weber 2016a; Weber 2016b; He et al. 2006; Wang et al. 2013; Shi et al. 2014a; Shi et al. 2014b; Fnu/Weber 2023; Weber et al. 1999; Unruh et al. 2016; Ramchandani et al. 2016).
Oncogenes induce distinct pathways to growth and invasiveness. (Zhang et al. 2003; Whalen et al. 2008; Mesa et al. 2006).
An osteopontin promoter polymorphism is associated with aggressiveness in breast cancer. (Ramchandani/Weber 2013; Briones-Orta et al. 2017a; Briones-Orta et al. 2017b).
 
In the context of our molecular analyses of carcinogenesis, we have investigated the cellular effects (Weber 2015a ; Weber et al. 1991; Weber/Nair 1992) and the metabolism of conventional anti-cancer drugs (LeBlanc et al. 1992; Weber/Waxman 1993a; Weber/Waxman 1993b; Chang et al. 1993; Weber 2013; Weber 2015b). We have also studied ways to selectively target metastasis with anti-cancer agents (Weber 2001; Weber 2005; Weber 2009; Weber 2012).

 

Keywords

  cancer, metastasis, cytokines, biomarkers

 

Preferred Information

  No

 

Contact Information

  Address type:Academic Location Name:UC College of Pharmacy 231 Albert Sabin Way, MSB Cincinnati 36 45267 Phone:513-558-0947 Email:Georg.Weber@uc.edu

  Address type:Research Location Name:Weber's Lab 231 Albert Sabin Way 3503 MSB Cincinnati 36 45229 273 Phone:513-558-8369 Email:http://pharmacy.uc.edu/weber

 

IRB Protocol

  CR01_2021-0043 Continuing Review for Study Osteopontin variants in breast lesions Approval:02/23/2022 Principal Investigator Weber, Georg Pharmacy Weber Lab