David Cobrinik, M.D., Ph.D.

Visiting Investigator

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
cobrinid@mskcc.org

Retinoblastoma is a childhood eye cancer that forms due to the mutation of the RB1 gene and loss of Rb protein. Cells that express a stem cell marker called Nestin were detected in retinoblastoma tumors. Dr. Cobrinik’s lab posited that these Nestin+ cells might form a stem cell niche in the tumors that play a role in retinoblastoma tumorigenesis. The lab has identified the stem cell-like cells in retinoblastomas as astrocytes and Müller glia and shown that these cells promote tumor cell growth and survival. Because retinoblastoma cells resemble neoplastic cone precursors, the lab is examining whether the normal interaction of glia with cone cells is co-opted to promote retinoblastoma tumorigenesis. This work will define interactions of stem cell-like cells and neoplastic tumor cells in retinoblastoma tumorigenesis.

Select Publications

Cobrinik D, Francis RO, Abramson DH, Lee TC. Rb induces a proliferative arrest and curtails Brn-2 expression in retinoblastoma cells.  Mol Cancer. 2006 Dec 12;5:72.

Lee TC, Almeida D, Claros N, Abramson DH, Cobrinik D. Cell cycle-specific and cell type-specific expression of Rb in the developing human retina.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2006 Dec;47(12):5590-8.

Elison JR, Cobrinik D, Claros N, Abramson DH, Lee TC. Small molecule inhibition of HDM2 leads to p53-mediated cell death in retinoblastoma cells. Arch Ophthalmol. 2006 Sep;124(9):1269-75.