Research
One of the major areas of research focus in our lab is the signaling protein, TNF receptor associated factor 3 (TRAF3). This protein regulates a variety of signaling pathways, and is notable for both overlapping and distinct functions in different cell types. Unique to B lymphocytes, TRAF3 restrains their homeostatic survival. Consistent with the importance of this regulation, TRAF3 loss-of-function mutations are common in human B cell cancers, such as lymphoma and myeloma. Our lab produced and is studying a mouse strain in which TRAF3 has been deleted specifically in B cells. These B cells display remarkably enhanced survival, and the mice ultimately develop B cell lymphomas. We are finding that TRAF3 enhances B cell survival through multiple mechanisms. One of these is enhancing glucose uptake and glycolysis, as demonstrated by the Figure on the previous page. This was published in Mambetsariev, N., Lin, W., Wallis, A., Stunz, L. and Bishop, G. Nature Scientific Reports 6:35349, 2016.
In vivo glucose uptake by WT and B-Traf3-/- mice. Mice were imaged by PET following injection of a fluorescent glucose analog. A. A representative FDG PET image of mice is shown. B. SUV Max and Average SUV in the spleen were quantified. Values for individual mice from two independent experiments and the mean values of each group are shown. Mann-Whitney test was used to determine statistical significance (*p<0.05).