Peter Brooks , Ph.D.

Center for Molecular Medicine,
Maine Medical Center Research Institute
81 Research Drive
Scarborough, ME 04074
(207) 885-8239 Office
(207) 885-8239 Lab
(207) 885-8179 Fax
brookp1@mmc.org

Biosketch

Dr Brooks obtained his PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1993. In 1994 he discovered a role for integrin avb3 in blood vessel development. These studies resulted in the development of two anti-angiogenic drugs (Vitaxin/AbegrinTM and CilengitideTM), which are currently being evaluated in several clinical trials. He received the Wilson S. Stone Memorial Award for outstanding contributions in biomedical research in 1997 and joined USC School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor.  Dr Brooks co-founded Cell Matrix Incorporated (CMI) a biotech company based in Los Angeles that focused on anti-angiogenic drugs targeting cryptic ECM epitopes and in 2000, joined NYU School of Medicine as Associate Professor and Director of Angiogenesis and Radiation Research. Dr Brooks’s studies have lead to a recent clinical trial to evaluate the affects of D93; a humanized antibody directed to a cryptic collagen epitope for the treatment of malignant tumors. While studying integrins, proteases and ECM molecules, he recently discovered a vitamin-like compound and several organic analogs that enhanced the anti-tumor activity of chemotherapy and radiation. Dr Brooks recently joined the Maine Medical Center Research Institute and continues his studies on the mechanisms that regulate angiogenesis, tumor growth and metastasis.

Research Interests

Our laboratory is primarily interested in studying how integrin-mediated cellular communication with the extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates angiogenesis, tumor growth and metastasis. In particular, we study the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the cooperative interactions between integrin receptors and proteolytic enzymes regulate the exposure of cryptic ECM epitopes that modulate endothelial and tumor cell behavior.  We are currently characterizing these unique cryptic ECM regulatory elements in an attempt to understanding how integrin receptor binding to these control sites regulate signaling pathways that contribute to angiogenesis and tumor progression. Surprisingly, inhibition of cellular interactions with one of these cryptic ECM control elements significantly increased expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-4 (IGFBP-4) as well as the well-known endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor TSP-1. In this regard, we have recently demonstrated the possibility that targeting these non-cellular cryptic epitopes may represent a unique clinical strategy for controlling malignant cell behavior. In summary, we utilize a combination of in vitro cellular, molecular and biochemical assays in conjunction with several in vivo models in attempts to develop novel strategies for the treatment of pathological angiogenesis and malignant tumor growth progression.

Selected Publications

Recent Publications:

1). Roth, J. M., Akalu, A., Zelmanovich, A., Policarpio, D., Ng, B., MacDonald, S., Formenti, S., Liebes, L., and Brooks, P. C. Recombinant a2(IV)NC1 domain inhibits tumor cell-ECM interactions, induces cellular senescence and inhibits tumor growth in vivo. Am.J. Pathol. 166: 901-911. 2005.

2). Akalu, A., Cretu, A., and Brooks, P. C. Targeting integrins for the control of tumor angiogenesis. Exp. Opin. Invest. Drugs. 14: 1-11, 2005.

3). Roth, J. M., Caunt, M., Cretu, A., Akalu, A., Policarpio, D., Xiaolu, L., Gagne, P., Formenti, S., and Brooks, P.C. Inhibition of experimental metastasis by targeting the HUIV26 cryptic epitope in collagen. Am. J. Pathol.  168: 2576-1586. 2006.

4). Xavier, S., MacDonald, S., Roth, J., Caunt, M., Akalu, A., Morais, D., Buckley, M. T., Liebes, L., Formenti, S. C., and Brooks, P.C. The vitamin-like dietary supplement para-Aminobenzoic acid (PABA) enhances the anti-tumor activity of ionizing radiation. IJROBP 65: 517-527. 2006.

5). Caunt, M., Hu, L., Tang, T., Brooks, P.C., Ibrahim, S., and Karpatkin, S. Growth regulated oncogene (GRO-a) is pivotal in thrombin-induced angiogenesis. Cancer Res. 66: 4125-4132. 2006.

6). Oxelmark, E., Roth, J. M., Brooks, P. C., Braunstein, S., Schneider, R. J., and Garabedian, M. J. The cochaperone p23 Differentially regulates estrogen receptor target genes and promotes tumor cell adhesion and invasion. Mol. Cell Biol. 26: 5205-5213. 2006.

7). Mancuso, M., Davis, R., Norberg, S. M., O’Brien, S., Sennino, B., Nakahara, T., Yao, V. J., Inai, T., Brooks, P. C., Freimark, B., Shalinsky, D. R., Hu-Lowe, D. D., and McDonald, D. M. Rapid vascular regrowth in tumors after reversal of VEGF inhibition. J. Clin. Invest. 116: 2610-2621. 2006.

8). Hobeika, M., Brooks, P. C., and Gagne, P. Matrix metalloproteinases in peripheral vascular disease. J. Vasc. Surg. 45: 849-854. 2007.

9). Akalu, A., Roth, J. M., Caunt, M., Policarpio, D., Liebes, L., and Brooks, P.C. Inhibition of angiogenesis and tumor metastasis by targeting a matrix immobilized cryptic ECM epitope in laminin. Cancer Res. 67: 4353-4363. 2007

10). Cretu, A., Roth, M., Caunt, M., Akalu, A., Policarpio, D., Formenti, S., Gagne, P., Liebes, L., and Brooks, P.C. Inhibition of angiogenesis by disrupting endothelial cell interactions with the novel HU177 cryptic collagen epitope. Clin. Cancer. Res. 13: 3068-3078. 2007.

11). Cretu, A., and Brooks, P. C. Impact of the non-cellular tumor microenvironment on metastasis: potential therapeutic and imaging opportunities. J. Cell. Physiol. 213: 391-402. 2007.