Michael W. Wolfe, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Dept. of Molecular & Integrative Physiology
University of Kansas Medical Center

3901 Rainbow Boulevard
3000 Wahl Hall East
Kansas City, KS 66160-7401
Phone: (913) 588-7418
Fax: (913) 588-7430
E-mail: mwolfe2@kumc.edu

Training

Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1990; Postdoctoral, Case Western Reserve University

Research interests

Expression of luteinizing hormone (LH) in pituitary gonadotropes and chorionic gonadotropin (CG) in placenta are essential to mammalian reproduction. These hormones are composed of two subunits - a common alpha-subunit and distinct beta-subunits. Research in my laboratory is directed towards understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in tissue-specific and hormonal regulation of the genes encoding these hormones. This involves studying the mechanisms regulating cell differentiation, elucidation of transcription factors regulating basal expression, and identifying the signal transduction pathways and associated transcription factors used by extracellular factors (hormones, growth factors, cytokines) to regulate gene expression. A variety of methodological approaches are utilized in these investigations including in vitro DNA-protein binding assays, cell culture and transient transfections, assays evaluating gene transcription and protein expression, and the use of transgenic mice.

Selected Publications

Wolfe, M.W. (1999) The equine luteinizing hormone beta-subunit promoter contains two functional steroidogenic factor-1 response elements. Mol. Endocrinol. 13, 1497-1510.

Wolfe, M.W. and Call, G.B. (1999) Early growth response protein 1 binds to the luteinizing hormone-beta promoter and mediates gonadotropin-releasing hormone-stimulated gene expression. Mol. Endocrinol. 13, 752-763.

Zhang, T., Wolfe, M.W., and Roberson, M.S. (2001) An early growth response protein (Egr) 1 cis-element is required for gonadotropin-releasing hormone-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 2 gene expression. J. Biol. Chem. 276, 45604-45613.

Thway, T.M., Clay, C.M., Maher, J.K., Reed, D.K., McDowell, K.J., Antczak, D.F., Eckert, R.L., Nilson, J.H., and Wolfe, M.W. (2001) Immortalization of equine trophoblast cell lines of chorionic girdle cell lineage by simian virus-40 large T antigen. J. Endocrinol. 171, 45-55.

Thway, T.M. and Wolfe, M.W. (2001) Epidermal growth factor regulation of equine glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit expression in trophoblast cells. Biol. Reprod. 65, 197-203.

Call,G.B. and Wolfe, M.W. (2002) Species differences in GnRH activation of the LHb promoter: role of Egr1 and Sp1. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol.189, 85-96.

Thway,T.M. and Wolfe, M.W. (2002) An activator protein-1 complex mediates epidermal growth factor regulation of equine glycoprotein a-subunit expression in trophoblast cells. Biol. Reprod.67, 972-980.

Soares, M.J. and Wolfe, M.W. (2004) Human embryonic stem cells ‘assemble’ and fulfill their developmental ‘destiny’. Endocrinology 145, 1514-1516.