Faculty
Kelly E. Mayo
Professor
Molecular Biosciences
PhD, University of Washington
Email: k-mayo@northwestern.edu
Phone: (847) 491-8854
Fax: (847) 467-1380
Room: Pancoe 1115
Research Interests
Gene regulation in the mammalian neuroendocrine system
Our research program in reproductive
biology seeks to understand how hormones secreted from the pituitary
gland (FSH and LH) act on the ovary to bring about the changes in
cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and gene expression that
will result in ovulation and luteinization of the ovarian follicle
during each reproductive cycle. We use
the genes encoding the hormones inhibin and activin, which are produced
in the ovary and act on the pituitary gland to regulate reproductive
hormone secretion, as a model system to address these questions. We
are presently focused on two major research directions. We are
investigating the dynamic regulation of inhibin expression during the
reproductive cycle, and are exploring the roles of cAMP-responsive
transcription factors (CREB and ICER) as well as the related orphan
nuclear receptors steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) and liver receptor
homologue-1 (LRH-1), in this process. We are also investigating
developmental pathways in the ovary involved in the initial formation
and growth of ovarian follicles, and are attempting to understand how
inhibin and activin regulate normal follicle development and how their
misexpression might contribute to the formation of abnormal follicles. Our
work focuses on molecular mechanisms regulating normal reproductive
function, but is substantially informed by, and relevant to, reproductive
disorders that impact fertility.
Selected Publications
DNA Methylation and Histone Modifications Are Associated with Repression of the Inhibin α Promoter in the Rat Corpus Luteum. Meldi KM, Gaconnet GA, and Mayo KE. Endocrinology. 2012 October 1;153(10):4905-4917.
The LIM Domain Protein FHL2 Interacts with the NR5A Family of Nuclear Receptors and CREB to Activate the Inhibin-α Subunit Gene in Ovarian Granulosa Cells. Matulis CK and Mayo KE. Molecular Endocrinology. 2012 August 1;26(8):1278-1290.
Gene Expression Profiling Reveals Cyp26b1 to Be an Activin Regulated Gene Involved in Ovarian Granulosa Cell Proliferation. Kipp JL, Golebiowski A, Rodriguez G, Demczuk M, Kilen SM, and Mayo KE. Endocrinology. 2011 January 1;152(1):303-312.
The Interactions Between the Stimulatory Effect of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and the Inhibitory Effect of Estrogen on Mouse Primordial Folliculogenesis. Lei L, Jin S, Mayo KE, and Woodruff TK. Biology of Reproduction. 2010 January 1;82(1):13-22.
Activins regulate 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I transcription in murine gonadotrope cells. Bak B, Carpio L, Kipp JL, Lamba P, Wang Y, Ge R-S, Hardy MP, Mayo KE, and Bernard DJ. Journal of Endocrinology. 2009 April 1;201:89-104.
Suppression of Notch Signaling in the Neonatal Mouse Ovary Decreases Primordial Follicle Formation. Trombly DJ, Woodruff TK, and Mayo KE. Endocrinology. 2009 February 1;150(2):1014-1024.
Roles for Transforming Growth Factor Beta Superfamily Proteins in Early Folliculogenesis. Trombly DJ, Woodruff TK, and Mayo KE. Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 2009 January;27(1):14-23.
Use of Reporter Genes to Study the Activity of Promoters in Ovarian Granulosa Cells. Kipp JL and Mayo KE. Methods in Molecular Biology. 2009;590:177-193.
Changes in the reproductive function and developmental phenotypes in mice following intramuscular injection of an activin betaA-expressing plasmid. Kim M-N, Park MN, Jung HK, Cho C, Mayo KE, and Cho B-N. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. 2008 December;6:63.
Activin Regulates Estrogen Receptor Gene Expression in the Mouse Ovary. Kipp JL, Kilen SM, Woodruff TK, and Mayo KE. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2007 December 14;282(50):36755-36765.
Pituitary-Specific Expression and Pit-1 Regulation of the Rat Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone Receptor Gene. McElvaine AT, Korytko AI, Kilen SM, Cuttler L, and Mayo KE. Molecular Endocrinology. 2007 August 1;21(8):1969-1983.
View all publications by Kelly E. Mayo listed in the National Library of Medicine (PubMed). Past and current IBiS students in blue.