Senior Lecturer in Cell Biology
My research focus is to better understand and therapeutically target the factors that disrupt the normal balance between cell growth/survival and differentiation in cancer. Currently, I am interested in two related areas of investigation:
1. The oncogenic MYC transcription factor and its “partners in crime”.2. The roles of retinoic acid receptor isotypes in normal development and cancer.
Teaching and supervision
I teach molecular and cell biology in Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2) of undergraduate Medicine MBChB. I am also the Digital Learning and Teaching Lead and Deputy Admissions Lead for the School of Medicine.
Research interests for potential research students
- Novel approaches to target HRAS-driven acute myeloid leukaemia
- Roles of MYC family members in subverting the molecular circadian clock in cancer
- Novel therapeutic approaches in acute myeloid leukaemia based on direct targeting of MYC
- Investigating the role of retinoic acid receptor gamma (RARγ) in cancer
- Understanding the role RARs in the cellular respose triggered by the damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP)
- Development of a new "co-IP" chromatin immunoprecipitation assay.
Research
My research career has focused on understanding and exploiting therapeutically the mechanisms that alter the balance between cell growth/survival and differentiation in cancer.
My research career began in the laboratory of Prof Arthur Zelent at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) where his major research focus was building on ground-breaking work demonstrating that insensitivity to all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) in PLZF-RARa-associated acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) compared to ATRA-responsive PML-RARa-associated APL was underpinned by differential recruitment of a histone deacetylase (HDAC)-containing epigenetic complex.
During my PhD I demonstrated that aberrant epigenetics in TEL-AML1-associated childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia resulted from deregulated recruitment of HDAC epigenetic activity. I went on to identify and characterize histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) as the main focus of my PhD.
My current research focus is to better understand the roles of deregulated epigenetics and signaling pathways in cancer in order to guide new therapeutic approaches.
Publications
Article
Urban-Wójciuk, Zuzanna, Graham, Amy, Barker, Karen, Kwok, Colin, Sbirkov, Yordan, Howell, Louise, Campbell, James, Woster, Patrick M, Poon, Evon, Petrie, Kevin and Chesler, Louis (2021) The biguanide polyamine analog verlindamycin promotes differentiation in neuroblastoma via induction of antizyme. Cancer gene therapy. ISSN 1476-5500
Brown, Geoffrey and Petrie, Kevin (2021) The RARγ Oncogene: An Achilles Heel for Some Cancers. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22 (7). e3632. ISSN 1422-0067
Sbirkov, Yordan, Ivanova, Tsvetomira, Burnusuzov, Hasan, Gercheva, Kalina, Petrie, Kevin, Schenk, Tino and Sarafian, Victoria (2021) The Protozoan Inhibitor Atovaquone Affects Mitochondrial Respiration and Shows In Vitro Efficacy Against Glucocorticoid-Resistant Cells in Childhood B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Frontiers in oncology, 11. p. 632181. ISSN 2234-943X
Petrie, Kevin, Urban‐Wójciuk, Zuzanna, Sbirkov, Yordan, Graham, Amy, Hamann, Annika and Brown, Geoffrey (2020) Retinoic acid receptor γ is a therapeutically targetable driver of growth and survival in prostate cancer. Cancer Reports. ISSN 2573-8348
Kahl, Melanie, Brioli, Annamaria, Bens, Martin, Perner, Florian, Kresinsky, Anne, Schnetzke, Ulf, Hinze, Anna, Sbirkov, Yordan, Stengel, Sven, Simonetti, Giorgia, Martinelli, Giovanni, Petrie, Kevin, Zelent, Arthur, Böhmer, Frank-Dietmar, Groth, Marco, Ernst, Thomas, Heidel, Florian H, Scholl, Sebastian, Hochhaus, Andreas and Schenk, Tino (2019) The acetyltransferase GCN5 maintains ATRA-resistance in non-APL AML. Leukemia, 33 (11). pp. 2628-2639. ISSN 1476-5551
Watts, Justin M, Perez, Aymee, Pereira, Lutecia, Fan, Yao-Shan, Brown, Geoffrey, Vega, Francisco, Petrie, Kevin, Swords, Ronan T and Zelent, Arthur (2017) A Case of AML Characterized by a Novel t(4;15)(q31;q22) Translocation That Confers a Growth-Stimulatory Response to Retinoid-Based Therapy. International journal of molecular sciences, 18 (7). ISSN 1422-0067
Sbirkov, Yordan, Kwok, Colin, Bhamra, Amandeep, Thompson, Andrew J, Gil, Veronica, Zelent, Arthur and Petrie, Kevin (2017) Semi-Quantitative Mass Spectrometry in AML Cells Identifies New Non-Genomic Targets of the EZH2 Methyltransferase. International journal of molecular sciences, 18 (7). ISSN 1422-0067
Gil, Veronica S, Bhagat, Govind, Howell, Louise, Zhang, Jiyuan, Kim, Chae H, Stengel, Sven, Vega, Francisco, Zelent, Arthur and Petrie, Kevin (2016) Deregulated expression of HDAC9 in B cells promotes development of lymphoproliferative disease and lymphoma in mice. Disease models & mechanisms, 9 (12). pp. 1483-1495. ISSN 1754-8411
Yogev, Orli, Barker, Karen, Sikka, Arti, Almeida, Gilberto S, Hallsworth, Albert, Smith, Laura M, Jamin, Yann, Ruddle, Ruth, Koers, Alexander, Webber, Hannah T, Raynaud, Florence I, Popov, Sergey, Jones, Chris, Petrie, Kevin, Robinson, Simon P, Keun, Hector C and Chesler, Louis (2016) p53 Loss in MYC-Driven Neuroblastoma Leads to Metabolic Adaptations Supporting Radioresistance. Cancer research, 76 (10). pp. 3025-35. ISSN 1538-7445
Dolman, M Emmy M, Poon, Evon, Ebus, Marli E, den Hartog, Ilona J M, van Noesel, Carel J M, Jamin, Yann, Hallsworth, Albert, Robinson, Simon P, Petrie, Kevin, Sparidans, Rolf W, Kok, Robbert J, Versteeg, Rogier, Caron, Huib N, Chesler, Louis and Molenaar, Jan J (2015) Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor AT7519 as a Potential Drug for MYCN-Dependent Neuroblastoma. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, 21 (22). pp. 5100-9. ISSN 1078-0432
Bansal, Nidhi, Petrie, Kevin, Christova, Rossitza, Chung, Chi-Yeh, Leibovitch, Boris A, Howell, Louise, Gil, Veronica, Sbirkov, Yordan, Lee, EunJee, Wexler, Joanna, Ariztia, Edgardo V, Sharma, Rajal, Zhu, Jun, Bernstein, Emily, Zhou, Ming-Ming, Zelent, Arthur, Farias, Eduardo and Waxman, Samuel (2015) Targeting the SIN3A-PF1 interaction inhibits epithelial to mesenchymal transition and maintenance of a stem cell phenotype in triple negative breast cancer. Oncotarget, 6 (33). pp. 34087-105. ISSN 1949-2553
Mussai, Francis, Egan, Sharon, Hunter, Stuart, Webber, Hannah, Fisher, Jonathan, Wheat, Rachel, McConville, Carmel, Sbirkov, Yordan, Wheeler, Kate, Bendle, Gavin, Petrie, Kevin, Anderson, John, Chesler, Louis and De Santo, Carmela (2015) Neuroblastoma Arginase Activity Creates an Immunosuppressive Microenvironment That Impairs Autologous and Engineered Immunity. Cancer research, 75 (15). pp. 3043-53. ISSN 1538-7445
Kwon, Yeon-Jin, Petrie, Kevin, Leibovitch, Boris A, Zeng, Lei, Mezei, Mihaly, Howell, Louise, Gil, Veronica, Christova, Rossitza, Bansal, Nidhi, Yang, Shuai, Sharma, Rajal, Ariztia, Edgardo V, Frankum, Jessica, Brough, Rachel, Sbirkov, Yordan, Ashworth, Alan, Lord, Christopher J, Zelent, Arthur, Farias, Eduardo, Zhou, Ming-Ming and Waxman, Samuel (2015) Selective Inhibition of SIN3 Corepressor with Avermectins as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Molecular cancer therapeutics, 14 (8). pp. 1824-36. ISSN 1538-8514
Ahmad, Zai, Jasnos, Lukasz, Gil, Veronica, Howell, Louise, Hallsworth, Albert, Petrie, Kevin, Sawado, Tomoyuki and Chesler, Louis (2015) Molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer-propagating cells derived from MYCN-dependent medulloblastoma. PloS one, 10 (3). e0119834. ISSN 1932-6203
Hill, Rebecca M, Kuijper, Sanne, Lindsey, Janet C, Petrie, Kevin, Schwalbe, Ed C, Barker, Karen, Boult, Jessica K R, Williamson, Daniel, Ahmad, Zai, Hallsworth, Albert, Ryan, Sarra L, Poon, Evon, Robinson, Simon P, Ruddle, Ruth, Raynaud, Florence I, Howell, Louise, Kwok, Colin, Joshi, Abhijit, Nicholson, Sarah Leigh, Crosier, Stephen, Ellison, David W, Wharton, Stephen B, Robson, Keith, Michalski, Antony, Hargrave, Darren, Jacques, Thomas S, Pizer, Barry, Bailey, Simon, Swartling, Fredrik J, Weiss, William A, Chesler, Louis and Clifford, Steven C (2015) Combined MYC and P53 defects emerge at medulloblastoma relapse and define rapidly progressive, therapeutically targetable disease. Cancer cell, 27 (1). pp. 72-84. ISSN 1878-3686
Barone, Giuseppe, Anderson, John, Pearson, Andrew D J, Petrie, Kevin and Chesler, Louis (2013) New strategies in neuroblastoma: Therapeutic targeting of MYCN and ALK. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, 19 (21). pp. 5814-21. ISSN 1078-0432
Zhen, Tao, Wu, Chuan-Feng, Liu, Ping, Wu, Hai-Yan, Zhou, Guang-Biao, Lu, Ying, Liu, Jian-Xiang, Liang, Yang, Li, Keqin Kathy, Wang, Yue-Ying, Xie, Yin-Yin, He, Miao-Miao, Cao, Huang-Ming, Zhang, Wei-Na, Chen, Li-Min, Petrie, Kevin, Chen, Sai-Juan and Chen, Zhu (2012) Targeting of AML1-ETO in t(8;21) leukemia by oridonin generates a tumor suppressor-like protein. Science translational medicine, 4 (127). 127ra38. ISSN 1946-6242
Schenk, Tino, Chen, Weihsu Claire, Göllner, Stefanie, Howell, Louise, Jin, Liqing, Hebestreit, Katja, Klein, Hans-Ulrich, Popescu, Andreea C, Burnett, Alan, Mills, Ken, Casero, Robert A, Marton, Laurence, Woster, Patrick, Minden, Mark D, Dugas, Martin, Wang, Jean C Y, Dick, John E, Müller-Tidow, Carsten, Petrie, Kevin and Zelent, Arthur (2012) Inhibition of the LSD1 (KDM1A) demethylase reactivates the all-trans-retinoic acid differentiation pathway in acute myeloid leukemia. Nature medicine, 18 (4). pp. 605-11. ISSN 1546-170X
Farias, Eduardo F, Petrie, Kevin, Leibovitch, Boris, Murtagh, Janice, Chornet, Manuel Boix, Schenk, Tino, Zelent, Arthur and Waxman, Samuel (2010) Interference with Sin3 function induces epigenetic reprogramming and differentiation in breast cancer cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107 (26). pp. 11811-6. ISSN 1091-6490
Petrie, Kevin, Zelent, Arthur and Waxman, Samuel (2009) Differentiation therapy of acute myeloid leukemia: past, present and future. Current opinion in hematology, 16 (2). pp. 84-91. ISSN 1531-7048
Petrie, Kevin, Guidez, F, Zhu, J, Howell, L, Owen, G, Chew, Y P, Parks, S, Waxman, S, Licht, J, Mittnacht, S and Zelent, A (2008) Retinoblastoma protein and the leukemia-associated PLZF transcription factor interact to repress target gene promoters. Oncogene, 27 (39). pp. 5260-6. ISSN 1476-5594
Zelent, Arthur, Petrie, Kevin, Boix-Chornet, Manuel, Melnick, Ari M, Waxman, Samuel and Gore, Steven D (2008) Derepression in the desert: the third workshop on clinical translation of epigenetics in cancer therapeutics. Cancer research, 68 (13). pp. 4967-70. ISSN 1538-7445
Petrie, Kevin and Zelent, Arthur (2008) Marked for death. Nature cell biology, 10 (5). pp. 507-9. ISSN 1476-4679
Petrie, Kevin and Zelent, Arthur (2008) AML1/ETO, a promiscuous fusion oncoprotein. Blood, 109 (10). pp. 4109-4110. ISSN 0006-4971
Glasow, Annegret, Barrett, Angela, Petrie, Kevin, Gupta, Rajeev, Boix-Chornet, Manuel, Zhou, Da-Cheng, Grimwade, David, Gallagher, Robert, von Lindern, Marieke, Waxman, Samuel, Enver, Tariq, Hildebrandt, Guido and Zelent, Arthur (2008) DNA methylation-independent loss of RARA gene expression in acute myeloid leukemia. Blood, 111 (4). pp. 2374-7. ISSN 0006-4971
Petrie, Kevin, Prodromou, N and Zelent, A (2007) Histone deacetylase inhibitors in APL and beyond. Current topics in microbiology and immunology, 313. pp. 157-203. ISSN 0070-217X
Xu, Ke, Guidez, Fabien, Glasow, Annegret, Chung, Danna, Petrie, Kevin, Stegmaier, Kimberly, Wang, Kan-Kan, Zhang, Ji, Jing, Yongkui, Zelent, Arthur and Waxman, Samuel (2005) Benzodithiophenes potentiate differentiation of acute promyelocytic leukemia cells by lowering the threshold for ligand-mediated corepressor/coactivator exchange with retinoic acid receptor alpha and enhancing changes in all-trans-retinoic acid-regulated gene expression. Cancer research, 65 (17). pp. 7856-65. ISSN 0008-5472
Fraga, Mario F, Ballestar, Esteban, Villar-Garea, Ana, Boix-Chornet, Manuel, Espada, Jesus, Schotta, Gunnar, Bonaldi, Tiziana, Haydon, Claire, Ropero, Santiago, Petrie, Kevin, Iyer, N Gopalakrishna, Pérez-Rosado, Alberto, Calvo, Enrique, Lopez, Juan A, Cano, Amparo, Calasanz, Maria J, Colomer, Dolors, Piris, Miguel Angel, Ahn, Natalie, Imhof, Axel, Caldas, Carlos, Jenuwein, Thomas and Esteller, Manel (2005) Loss of acetylation at Lys16 and trimethylation at Lys20 of histone H4 is a common hallmark of human cancer. Nature genetics, 37 (4). pp. 391-400. ISSN 1061-4036
Zelent, Arthur, Petrie, Kevin, Chen, Zhu, Lotan, Reuben, Lübbert, Michael, Tallman, Martin S, Ohno, Ryuzo, Degos, Laurent and Waxman, Samuel (2005) Molecular target-based treatment of human cancer: summary of the 10th international conference on differentiation therapy. Cancer research, 65 (4). pp. 1117-23. ISSN 0008-5472
Petrie, Kevin, Guidez, Fabien, Howell, Louise, Healy, Lyn, Waxman, Samuel, Greaves, Mel and Zelent, Arthur (2003) The histone deacetylase 9 gene encodes multiple protein isoforms. The Journal of biological chemistry, 278 (18). pp. 16059-72. ISSN 0021-9258
Zhu, J, Heyworth, C M, Glasow, A, Huang, Q H, Petrie, Kevin, Lanotte, M, Benoit, G, Gallagher, R, Waxman, S, Enver, T and Zelent, A (2001) Lineage restriction of the RARalpha gene expression in myeloid differentiation. Blood, 98 (8). pp. 2563-7. ISSN 0006-4971
Guidez, Fabien, Petrie, Kevin, Ford, Anthony M, Lu, Huafeng, Bennett, Caroline A, MacGregor, Angus, Hannemann, Jurgen, Ito, Yoshiaki, Ghysdael, Jaques, Greaves, Mel, Wiedemann, Leanne M. and Zelent, Arthur (2000) Recruitment of the nuclear receptor corepressor N-CoR by the TEL moiety of the childhood leukemia-associated TEL-AML1 oncoprotein. Blood, 96 (7). pp. 2557-61. ISSN 0006-4971
- Basic and translational cancer research:
- MYC biology
- Epigenetics
- Retinoic acid signalling pathway
