Recent Publications

• Tumor necrosis factor-alpha mediates oligodendrocyte death and delayed retinal ganglion cell loss in a mouse model of glaucoma. Nakazawa T, Nakazawa C, Matsubara A, Noda K, Hisatomi T, She H, Michaud N, Hafezi-Moghadam A, Miller JW, Benowitz LI. J Neurosci. 26(49): 12633-41 (2006). Click here for abstract.

• Mst3b, a purine-sensitive Ste20-like protein kinase, regulates axon outgrowth. Irwin N, Li YM, O'toole JE, Benowitz LI. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci, U.S.A. 99: 12427-31 (2006). Click here for abstract.

• Oncomodulin is a macrophage-derived signal for axon regeneration in retinal ganglion cells. Yin Y, Henzl MT, Lorber B, Nakazawa T, Thomas TT, Jiang F, Langer R, Benowitz LI. Nature Neuroscience 9: 843-852 (2006). Click here for abstract.

• An injectable, biodegradable hydrogel for trophic factor delivery enhances axonal rewiring and improves performance after spinal cord injury. Piantino J, Burdick JA, Goldberg D, Langer R, Benowitz LI. (2006) Exp. Neurol. 201(2): 359-67. Click here for abstract.

• Switching mature retinal ganglion cells to a robust growth state in vivo: gene expression and synergy with RhoA inactivation. Fischer D, Petkova V, Thanos S and Benowitz LI. J. Neurosci. 24: 8726-8740 (2004). Click here for abstract.

• Counteracting the Nogo receptor enhances optic nerve regeneration if retinal ganglion cells are in an active growth state. Fischer D, He Z, Benowitz LI. J. Neurosci. 24: 1646-1651 (2004). Click here for abstract.

• Axon regeneration in goldfish and rat retinal ganglion cells: differential responsiveness to carbohydrates and cAMP. Li Y, Irwin N, Yin Y, Lanser M, Benowitz LI. J. Neurosci. 23: 7830-7838 (2003). Click here for abstract.

• Macrophage-derived factors stimulate optic nerve regeneration. Yin Y, Cui Q, Li Y, Irwin N, Fischer D, Harvey AR, Benowitz LI. J. Neurosci. 23: 2284-2293 (2003). Click here for abstract.

• Inosine stimulates axon growth in vitro and in the adult CNS. Benowitz LI, Goldberg DE, Irwin N. Progress in Brain Research 137: 389-400 (2002). Click here for abstract.

• Nerve growth factor controls GAP-43 mRNA stability via the phosphoprotein ARPP-19. Irwin N, Chao S, Goritchenko L, Horiuchi A, Greengard P, Nairn AC, Benowitz LI. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci, U.S.A. 99: 12427-31 (2002). Click here for abstract.

• Inosine induces axonal rewiring and improves behavioral outcome after stroke. Chen P, Goldberg DE, Kolb B, Lanser M, Benowitz LI. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., U.S.A., 99: 1931-1936. Click here for abstract (2002).

• A purine-sensitive mechanism regulates the molecular program for axon growth. Benowitz LI, Goldberg DE, Irwin N. Restor Neurol Neurosci. 2001;19(1-2):41-9 (2001). Click here for abstract.

• A purine-sensitive pathway regulates multiple genes involved in axon regeneration in goldfish retinal ganglion cells. Petrausch B, Tabibiazar R, Roser T, Jing Y, Goldman D, Stuermer CA, Irwin N, Benowitz LI. J. Neurosci. 20:8031-8041 (2000). Click here for abstract.

• Lens injury stimulates axon regeneration in the mature rat optic nerve. Leon S, Yin Y, Nguyen J, Irwin N, Benowitz LI. J. Neurosci. 20:4615-4626 (2000). Click here for abstract.

• Inosine stimulates extensive axon collateral growth in the rat corticospinal tract after injury. Benowitz LI, Goldberg DE, Madsen JR, Soni D, Irwin N. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci, U.S.A. 96:13486-13490 (1999). Click here for abstract.

• Axon outgrowth is regulated by an intracellular purine-sensitive mechanism in retinal ganglion cells. Benowitz LI, Jing Y, Tabibiazar R, Jo SA, Petrausch B, Stuermer CA, Rosenberg PA, Irwin N. J. Biol. Chem., 273:29626-29634 (1998). Click here for abstract.

Poster Presentations

• International Campaign for Cures of Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Trials Workshop (2004), Vancouver, British Columbia

  • Benowitz et al., Gene Therapy and Novel Trophic Factors for CNS Regeneration (Download 6.7 MB PDF file)

• 10th International Symposium on Neural Regeneration (2003), Asilomar, CA

  • Yin et al., Axon Regeneration in the Mature Rat Optic Nerve: Isolation of the Key Molecular Signals (Download 3.5 MB PDF file)

• Keystone Symposium (2003) - Axonal Connections: Molecular Cues for Development and Regeneration, Keystone, CO

• Goldberg et al., Rewiring the Brain after Stroke: Optimizing Inosine Treatment to Maximize Functional Outcome (Download PDF, 6.6 MB file)

• Society for Neuroscience (2003), Orlando, FL

  • Fischer et al., Axon Regeneration in the Rat Optic Nerve: Essential Role of the Nogo Receptor (Download PDF, 12.8 MB PDF file)

• Society for Neuroscience (2002), Orlando, FL

  • Yin et al., Intraocular Macrophage Activation Stimulates Extensive Axon Regeneration in the Mature Optic Nerve or into a Peripheral Nerve Graft (Download PDF, 1.5 MB file)

  • Goldberg et al., Adaptive Rewiring and Behavioral Improvement After Stroke in Adult Rats Treated with Inosine (Download PDF, 1.4 MB file)

Press Coverage

Optic nerve work - NEW!!!

As seen at Harvard Medical School, Children's Hospital and MIT's Technology Review websites...

 

The Harvard Gazette publishes a story on our most recent discovery.

Science Magazine's website reports on the identificaton of oncomudulin.

Forbes Magazine spreads the word!

The Guardian Unlimited (U.K.) picks up on oncomodulin's story.

 

Stroke and spinal cord work

ABC Nightly News with Dan Rather (Real Player or Windows Media Player required to watch video)

The National Institutes of Health posts a review of our work on their website.

Molecular signaling

CNN reports on finding "master switch" for nerve growth.