Leslie A. Goldstein, PhD
Research Instructor

Dr. Goldstein is a member of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.

Office Location:
5701 Centre Avenue, #1405
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-1863

 Contact Information:
Office Telephone: 412-623-1219
Fax: 412-623-1119
Email: goldsteinl@upmc.edu

Education

  • PhD - New York University, 1979

Research Expertise

Generally, my current research interests involve the application of recombinant DNA technology to the elucidation of molecular mechanisms involved in immune evasion by tumor cells to T lymphocyte induced apoptosis and also the apoptotic resistance of tumor cells to cytotoxic drugs. We are currently utilizing recombinant DNA techniques and RNA interference technologies to study the roles of the anti-apoptotic factor Mcl-1 and the pro-apoptotic protein Bim in the susceptibility and/or resistance of T-cells as well as nonlymphoid cells to apoptosis. Research involving the Mcl-1/Bim pathway, and several apoptotic proteins such as NOXA, PUMA and p53 etc. that influence this pathway, has the potential to reveal new mechanisms that may fortify the resistance of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes to apoptosis induced in the tumor microenvironment and conversely, may lead to a treatment of tumor cells that reduces their apoptotic resistance. We are also interested in investigating the role of protective autophagy and its interaction with apoptosis in tumor cells that are resistant to immune cells and cytotoxic drugs. These studies have the potential to lead to new therapies that can overcome the apoptotic resistance in these tumor cells.

Selected Publications

View Dr. Goldstein's publications on PubMed

J. Han*, L.A. Goldstein*, B.R. Gastman and H. Rabinowich. Interrelated roles for Mcl-1 and Bim in regulation of TRAIL-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 10153-10163 (2006). *Contributed equally to publication.

J. Han*, L.A. Goldstein*, W. Hou and H. Rabinowich. Functional linkage between Noxa and Bim in mitochondrial apoptotic events. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 16223-16231 (2007). *Contributed equally to publication.

J. Han, W. Hou, L.A. Goldstein, C. Lu, D.B. Stolz, X.-M Yin and H. Rabinowich. Involvement of protective autophagy in TRAIL resistance of apoptosis-defective tumor cells. J. Biol. Chem. 283, 19665-19677 (2008).

W. Hou, J. Han, Caisheng Lu, L.A. Goldstein and H. Rabinowich. Enhancement of tumor-TRAIL susceptibility by modulation of autophagy. Autophagy 4, 940-943 (2008).

J. Han,* L.A. Goldstein,* W. Hou, C.J. Froelich, S.C. Watkins and H. Rabinowich. Deregulation of mitochondrial membrane potential by mitochondrial insertion of Granzyme B and direct Hax-1 cleavage. J. Biol. Chem. 285, 22461-22472 (2010). *Contributed equally to publication.

J. Han,* L.A. Goldstein*, W. Hou, B.R. Gastman and H. Rabinowich. Regulation of mitochondrial apoptotic events by p53-mediated disruption of complexes between antiapoptotic Bcl-2 members and Bim. J. Biol. Chem. 285, 22473-22483 (2010).*Contributed equally to publication.

W. Hou, J. Han, C. Lu, L.A. Goldstein and H. Rabinowich. Autophagic degradation of active caspase-8: A crosstalk mechanism between autophagy and apoptosis. Autophagy 6, 891-900 (2010).