Conti, Claudio J.

Conti, Claudio J. D.V.M., Ph.D.

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Research Interests

Genes, keratinocytes, prostate

Current Research

My research interest is focused on the development and characterization of animal models for human diseases. In the past, my laboratory was mainly dedicated to models that reflect alterations in cell cycle regulation of human tumors. More recently, I have shifted my interest to models with other molecular alterations. I have also developed a renewed interest in cancer prevention, particularly the effect of diet on cancer development.

In collaboration with Dr. Robin Fuchs-Young’s laboratory, we have started a new project, presently funded by DOD and the M.D. Anderson Breast Cancer SPORE, to investigate the effects of diet on mitochondrial mutations and to explore the role of mitochondrial damage on the development of breast cancer. In particular, we are investigating mitochondrial mutations as a potential link between diet, metabolic disease and breast cancer. In the context of this project, we are presently developing a Mitochondrial Resequencing Chip (Mouse Mitochip) as a new tool for the efficient detection of mitochondrial mutation in experimental tumors.

In addition, I continue my collaboration with Dr. Fernando Benavides and the Institute Pasteur (France) for the characterization of mouse spontaneous mutations. In previous years, we have identified cathepsin B as the gene responsible for the Nackt mutation. More recently we have identified two new interesting mutations. The luca (luc) is a spontaneous recessive mutation characterized by hypotrichosis and multifocal patchy alopecia. We have recently identified a nonsense mutation in the Zdhhc13 gene, a member of the palmitoyltransferase family. This is the first animal model for the study of this new family involved in post-translational modification of important signaling proteins and which have been linked to mental retardation and schizophrenia in humans. Current research is focused on the mechanisms by which these mutations generate the skin phenotype and the identification of targets of Zdhhc13 which have not been identified. The second mutations recently cloned is barthez (bar), a new autosomal recessive mutation with a complex phenotype. We identify a mutation in exon 12 of the Ass-1 gene, which generate a hypomorphic allele. This allele has been already described in the human homologous gene, in patients with citrullinemia, a rare but devastating human pediatric disease. The phenotype of the bar mice share most alterations described in citrulinemia patients and therefore, these mice appear as an adequate model to address the study of this disease. There is presently no other model for this disease because previously developed knockout mice were lethal. Our current research on this model is focused on basic aspects of the disease as well as studies to improve the treatment of this pathology.

Finally, I am presently dedicating major efforts to collaborative initiatives to mouse phenotyping. In addition to collaborations with several laboratories, I have collaborated with Dr. Robert Cardiff to create a curriculum for Genomic Pathologists. This new initiative will fill a gap and generate appropriate training for pathologists primarily dedicated to the phenotyping of genetically engineered mice.

Selected Publications

  1. Ludes-Meyers JH, Kil H, Nunez MI, Conti CJ, Parker-Thornburg J, Bedford MT, Aldaz CM. WWOX hypomorphic mice display a higher incidence of B-cell lymphomas and develop testicular atrophy, Genes Chromosomes Cancer, 46 (12), 1129-36, 2007
  2. de Cicco RL, Bassi DE, Benavides F, Conti CJ, Klein-Szanto AJ. Inhibition of proprotein convertases: Approaches to block squamous carcinoma development and progression, Mol Carcinog, 46 (8), 654-9, 2007
  3. Rojas P, Cadenas MB, Lin PC, Benavides F, Conti CJ, Rodriguez-Puebla ML. Cyclin D2 and cyclin D3 play opposite roles in mouse skin carcinogenesis, Oncogene, 26 (12), 1723-30, 2007
  4. Benavides F, Gomez G, Venables-Griffith A, Lambertz I, Flores M, Angel JM, Fuchs-Young R, Richie ER, Conti CJ. Differential susceptibility to chemically induced thymic lymphomas in SENCARB and SSIN inbred mice, Mol Carcinog, 45 (7), 543-8, 2006
  5. Benavides F, Perez C, Blando J, Guenet JL, Conti CJ. The radiation-induced nackt (nkt) allele is a loss-of-function mutation of the mouse cathepsin L gene, J Immunol, 176 (2), 702-3, 2006
  6. Cook JD, Davis BJ, Cai SL, Barrett JC, Conti CJ, Walker CL. Interaction between genetic susceptibility and early-life environmental exposure determines tumor-suppressor-gene penetrance, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 102 (24), 8644-9, 2005

Contact Information


Mailing Address: P.O. Box 389, Smithville, Texas 78957
Physical Address: 1808 Park Road 1C, Smithville, Texas 78957
Phone: (512) 237-9561