Peter S. Rabinovitch, M.D., Ph.D.

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Email: petersr@u.washington.edu

Dr. Rabinovitch's primary interests are in cell cycle, cell proliferation, and the role of genomic instability in the aging process and in early events leading to neoplasia.

Dr. Rabinovitch studies alterations in cell proliferation and genetic instability in aging and in neoplastic progression. He is examining the connection between free-radical theories of aging, altered redox status and the basis of the decreased proliferative potential of aged somatic cells. In particular, the progeroid disease Werner Syndrome is being studied as a potential model of the connection between altered DNA repair, genetic instability, and aging.

Dr. Rabinovitch is also the PI for the renewal of the long-standing program project in aging begun by Dr. George Martin. This renewal focuses on mouse models with augmented antioxidant and antimutator capacity. Overexpression of catalase targeted to the mitochondria is the most promising model to date, with extension of both mean and maximal lifespan. Dr. Rabinovitch is also using the premalignant gastrointestinal diseases ulcerative colitis and Barrett's esophagus as models of the relationship between immortalization, genetic instability, and the clinical risk of progression to cancer. He has a special interest in using cytometric technologies to study the cell cycle and genetic instability

Dr. Rabinovitch is Professor of Pathology, Joint Full Member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Director of the Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging at the University of Washington.

• Grossmann A, Rabinovitch PS, Lane MA, Jinneman JC, Ingram DK, Wolf NS, Cutler RG, Roth GS. Influence of age, sex and dietary restriction on intracellular free calcium responses of CD4+ lymphocytes in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). J Cell Physiol 162:298-303, 1995.
• Taylor CG, Potter AJ, Rabinovitch PS. Splenocyte glutathione and CD3-mediated cell proliferation are reduced in mice fed a protein-deficient diet. J Nutrition 127:44-50, 1997.
• Ogburn CE, Oshima J, Poot M, Chen R, Hunt K, Gollahon KA, Rabinovitch PS, Martin GM. An apoptosis- inducing genotoxin differentiates heterozygotic carriers for Werner helicase mutations from wild type and homozygous mutants. Hum Genet 101:121-125, 1997.
• Ogburn CE, Charles E, Austad SN, Holmes DJ, Kiklevich JV, Gollahon K, Rabinovitch PS, Martin GM. Cultured renal epithelial cells from birds and mice: Enhanced resistance of avian cells to oxidative stress and DNA damage. J Gerontol Biol Sci 53:B287-B292, 1998.
• Poot M, Gollahon KA, Rabinovitch PS. Werner Syndrome lymphoblastoid cells are sensitive to camptothecin induced apoptosis in S phase. Hum Genet 104:10-14, 1999.
• Potter A, Rabinovitch PS. Apoptotic human lymphocytes have diminished CD4 and CD8 receptor expression. Cell Immunol 193:36-47, 1999.
• Barrett MT, Sanchez CA, Prevo LJ, Wong DJ, Galipeau PC, Paulson TG, Rabinovitch PS, Reid BJ. Evolution of neoplastic cell lineages in Barrett's esophagus. Nat Genet 22:106–109, 1999.
• Rabinovitch PS, Dziadon S, Bronner MP, Emond MJ, Crispin DA, Haggitt RC, Brentnall TA. Pancolonic chromosomal instability precedes dysplasia and cancer in ulcerative colitis. Cancer Res 59:5148-5153,1999.
• Poot M, Yom JS, Whang SH, Kato JT, Gollahon KA, Rabinovitch PS. Werner Syndrome cells are sensitive to DNA cross-linking drugs. FASEB J 15:1224-1226, 2001.
• Reid BJ, Prevo LJ, Galipeau PC, Sanchez CA, Longton G, Levine DS, Blount PL, Rabinovitch PS. Predictors of progression in Barrett's esophagus. II: Baseline 17p (p53) loss of heterozygosity identifies a patient subset at increased risk for neoplastic progression. Am J Gasteroenterol 96:2839-2848, 2001.
• Rabinovitch PS, Longton G, Blount PL, Levine DS, Reid, BJ. Predictors of progression in Barrett's esophagus. III. Baseline flow cytometric variables. Am J Gasteroenterol 96:3071-3083, 2001.
• Treuting P, Hopkins H, Ware C, Rabinovitch P, Ladiges W. Generation of genetically altered mouse models for aging studies. Exper Mol Path 72:49-55, 2002.
• Poot M, Silber JR, Rabinovitch PS. A novel flow cytometric technique for drug cytotoxicity gives results comparable to colony-forming assays. Cytometry 48:1-5, 2002.
• Poot M, Gollahon KA, Emond MJ, Silber JR, Rabinovitch PS. Werner Syndrome diploid fibroblasts are sensitive to 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide and 8-methoxypsoralen: implications to the disease phenotype. FASEB J, in press.