Research Interests:
My laboratory is dedicated to the study of vascular tumors, a poorly understood group of neoplasms, that arise from the abnormal proliferation of endothelial cells. These tumors include benign hemangiomas, the most common tumors in infants, angiosarcomas, frequently caused by environmental agents, and Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), the most common tumor in HIV-infected patients.
The central assumption of our research is that the complete elucidation of the molecular mechanisms regulating cell proliferation and cell death is essential to understanding, and thus controlling, malignancy. My laboratory is currently investigating the intracellular routes that participate in the regulation of endothelial cell proliferation and survival, with the goal of identifying molecular targets for the prevention and treatment of vascular neoplasms. Moreover, since solid tumors require the development of a neovascular network that supplies oxigen to tumor cells, these studies may ultimately provide valuable insight into the unique relationship between cancer and angiogenesis.
Publications:
Chaisuparat R, Hu J, Jham BC, Knight ZA, Shokat KM, Montaner S. Dual inhibition of PI3Kalpha and mTOR as an alternative treatment for Kaposi's sarcoma. Cancer Research 2008 Oct 15;68(20):8361-8.
Montaner S. Akt/TSC/mTOR activation by the KSHV G protein-coupled receptor: emerging insights into the molecular oncogenesis and treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma. Cell Cycle. 2007 Feb 15;6(4):438-43. Epub 2007 Feb 12.
Sodhi A, Chaisuparat R, Hu J, Ramsdell AK, Manning BD, Sausville EA, Sawai ET, Molinolo A, Gutkind JS, Montaner S. The TSC2/mTOR pathway drives endothelial cell transformation induced by the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus G protein-coupled receptor. Cancer Cell, 2006; 10:133-43.
Montaner S, Sodhi A, Ramsdell AK, Martin D, Hu J, Sawai ET, Gutkind JS. The KSHV GPCR as a Therapeutic Target for the Treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma. Cancer Research, 2006; 66:168-74.
Sodhi A, Montaner S, Gutkind JS. Viral Hijacking of G-Protein-Coupled-Receptor Signalling Networks. Nature Rev Mol Cell Biol, 2004; 5: 998-1012.
Montaner S, Sodhi A, Servitja JM, Ramsdell AK, Barac A, Sawai ET, Gutkind JS. The small GTPase Rac1 Links the Kaposi's Sarcoma Associated Herpesvirus vGPCR to Cytokine Secretion and Paracrine Neoplasia. Blood, 2004; 104: 2903-2911.
Sodhi A, Montaner S, Patel V, Gomez-Román J, Li, Y, Sausville, EA, Sawai, ET, Gutkind, JS. Akt Plays a Central Role in the sarcomagenesis induced by the Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus-encoded G protein-coupled receptor. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2004; 101: 4821-4826.
Montaner S, Sodhi A, Molinolo A, Bugge TH, Sawai ET, He Y, Li Y, Ray, PE, Gutkind JS. Endothelial infection with KSHV genes in vivo reveals that vGPCR initiates Kaposi's sarcomagenesis and can promote the tumorigenic potential of viral latent genes. Cancer Cell, 2003; 3: 23-36.
Montaner S, Sodhi A, Pece S, Mesri EA, Gutkind JS. The Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus G Protein-coupled Receptor Promotes Endothelial Cell Survival through the Activation of Akt/Protein kinase B. Cancer Research, 2001; 61: 2641-2648.
Sodhi A, Montaner S, Patel V, Zohar M, Bais C, Mesri EA, Gutkind JS. The Kaposi's Sarcoma Associated Herpesvirus G Protein-Coupled Receptor upregulates VEGF Expression and Secretion through MAPK and p38 Pathways acting on HIF-1alpha. Cancer Research, 2000; 60: 4873-4880.
