Mark H. Kaplan
     Graduate student
     Adviser: Roy Sundick
     Degree: Ph.D., 1992
     Title of thesis: Avian T cell activation: Characterization of genes, surface proteins           and soluble mediators

Contact information (as of 12/1/03):
     Department of Microbiology and Immunology
     Indiana University School of Medicine
     Walther Oncology Center
     950 West Walnut Street
     Indianapolis, IN 46202
     Ph: (317) 278-3696
     Fax: (317) 274-7592
     Work email: mkaplan2@iupui.edu
     Home email: NA

Links to Mark at Indiana University:
     http://www.iupui.edu/~woc/Principal_Investigators/Kaplan/kaplan.html

Laboratory efforts:
STAT (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription) proteins are a class of molecules involved in signaling from the cytokine receptor directly to the nucleus, where they bind DNA and alter gene transcription. We have developed mice that are deficient in Stat4 or Stat6, factors involved in signaling for IL-12 and IL-4, respectively. In the absence of Stat4, cells are unable to respond to IL-12 by proliferating, producing IFNg and becoming effective Th1 cells. Similarly, Stat6-deficient mice lack the ability to modulate many surface markers, proliferate or become Th2 cells in response to IL-4. These studies demonstrated that STAT proteins perform non-redundant and crucial roles in cytokine signaling. Future work will focus on understanding how STAT proteins regulate transcription, tumorigenesis, in vivo immune responses, and regulate T helper cell differentiation programs.

Recent Publications from the Kaplan Lab:
Broxmeyer HE, Bruns HA, Zhang S, Cooper S, Hangoc G, McKenzie AN, Dent AL, Schindler U, Naeger LK, Hoey T, and Kaplan MH. (2002) Th1 cells regulate hematopoietic progenitor cell homeostasis by secretion of Oncostatin M. Immunity. 16:815-825.

Shen R and Kaplan MH. (2002) The homeostasis but not the differentiation of T cells is regulated by p27Kip1. J Immunol. 169: 714-721.

Chang HC, Zhang S and Kaplan MH. (2002) Neonatal tolerance in the absence of Stat4- and Stat6-dependent T helper cell differentiation. J. Immunol. 169:4124-4128.

Bruns HA, Schindler U and Kaplan MH. (2003) Expression of a constitutively active Stat6 in vivo alters lymphocyte homeostasis with distinct effects in T and B cells. J Immunol. 170:3478-3487.

Chang H-C, Zhang S, Oldham IL, Naeger L, Hoey T and Kaplan MH. (2003) The Stat4 N-terminal domain is required for efficient phosphorylation. J. Biol Chem. 278:32471-32477.

Hoey T, Zhang S, Schmidt N, Yu Q, Ramchandani S, Xu X, Naeger LK, Sun Y-L, and Kaplan MH. (2003) Distinct requirements for naturally occurring splice forms Stat4 and Stat4 in IL-12 responses. EMBO J. 22:4237-4248.

Married to Heather Platt, May 1, 2002