Anson Lowe

Clinical Focus

• Gastroenterology
• Barrett's esophagus
• Pancreatic Diseases
• Diagnosis, Differential

Professional Education

Postdoctoral Advisees

Aiwen Dong , Aparna Gupta

Web Site Links

• Lowe Laboratory

Research Interests

My laboratory is focused on the biology of the pancreas and esophagus and their associated diseases. Using animal models and materials from human subjects, we have used DNA microarrays to characterize the gene expression profile of acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and esophageal cancer. The resultant data has led to a focus on the development of diagnostic assays and the identification of novel genes that participate in disease pathogenesis. We currently utilize a variety of cellular and molecular approaches in cell lines and animal models to explore the role of specific genes in disease.

The gene, AGR2, is currently a major focus of the laboratory. AGR2 is highly expressed in many adenocarcinomas, including those derived from the esophagus, pancreas, breast, prostate, and lung. We recently established that AGR2 promotes tumor growth. Current efforts are focused on determining AGR2’s mechanism of action in normal tissues and cancers, which we believe will lead to opportunities for the development of new therapies.

Clinical Trials

• Novel Serum Markers for Monitoring Response to Anti-Cancer Therapy Recruiting

Publications

• The adenocarcinoma-associated antigen, AGR2, promotes tumor growth, cell migration, and cellular transformation. Wang Z, Hao Y, Lowe AW. Cancer Res. 2008; 68 (2): 492-7
• Detection of colonic dysplasia in vivo using a targeted heptapeptide and confocal microendoscopy. Hsiung PL, Hsiung PL, Hardy J, Friedland S, Soetikno R, Du CB, Wu AP, Sahbaie P, Crawford JM, Lowe AW, Contag CH, Wang TD. Nat Med. 2008; 14 (4): 454-8
• Gene expression patterns in pancreatic tumors, cells and tissues. Lowe AW, Olsen M, Hao Y, Lee SP, Taek Lee K, Chen X, van de Rijn M, Brown PO. PLoS One. 2007; 2 (3): e323
• Gene expression profiling reveals stromal genes expressed in common between Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma. Hao Y, Triadafilopoulos G, Sahbaie P, Young HS, Omary MB, Lowe AW. Gastroenterology. 2006; 131 (3): 925-33
• Absence of the major zymogen granule membrane protein, GP2, does not affect pancreatic morphology or secretion. Yu S, Michie SA, Lowe AW. J Biol Chem. 2004; 279 (48): 50274-9