Faculty
Kelly E. Mayo, PhD
Professor
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology
PhD, Washington (Seattle)
Email: k-mayo@northwestern.edu
Phone: (847) 491-8854
Fax: (847) 467-1380
Room: Hogan Rm 4-112
Research Interests
Our laboratory investigates cell signaling and gene expression in
the mammalian reproductive axis.
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
Use of reporter genes to study the activity of promoters in ovarian granulosa cells. Kipp JL, Mayo KE. Methods Mol Biol. 2009;590:177-93.
Roles for transforming growth factor beta superfamily proteins in early folliculogenesis. Trombly DJ, Woodruff TK, Mayo KE. Semin Reprod Med. 2009 Jan;27(1):14-23. Epub 2009 Feb 5. Review.
Suppression of Notch signaling in the neonatal mouse ovary decreases primordial follicle formation. Trombly DJ, Woodruff TK, Mayo KE. Endocrinology. 2009 Feb;150(2):1014-24. Epub 2008 Sep 25.
Activin regulates estrogen receptor gene expression in the mouse ovary. Kipp JL, Kilen SM, Woodruff TK, Mayo KE. J Biol Chem. 2007 Dec 14;282(50):36755-65. Epub 2007 Oct 19.
McElvaine AT, Mayo KE. A dominant-negative human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) receptor splice variant inhibits GHRH binding. Endocrinology. 2006 Apr;147(4):1884-94. Epub 2006 Jan 19.
Kipp JL, Kilen SM, Bristol-Gould S, Woodruff TK, Mayo KE. Neonatal Exposure to Estrogens Suppresses Activin Expression and Signaling in the Mouse Ovary. Endocrinology. 2007 Jan 25; [Epub ahead of print]
View all publications by Kelly E. Mayo listed in the National Library of Medicine (PubMed). Past and current IBiS students in blue