- Email: [email protected]
Paths of convergence and divergence in pregnancy and malignancy: a tribute to the contributions of Dr Peeyush K. Lala
Journal of Reproductive Immunology 54 (2002) 143– 146 www.elsevier.com/locate/jreprimm
Meeting report
Paths of convergence and divergence in pregnancy and malignancy: a tribute to the contributions of Dr Peeyush K. Lala
Family, colleagues and friends met in a research symposium at the Donald Gordon Conference Centre in Kingston, Ontario, June 1st to celebrate the career of scientific and academic achievements of Dr Peeyush Lala. Dr Lala’s formal career extended for more than 3 decades before official retirement was imposed last year by Canadian law. Symposium held June 1, 2002 at Kingston, Ont., sponsored by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Queen’s University Office of Research Services and Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Queen’s University.
0165-0378/02/$ - see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 1 6 5 - 0 3 7 8 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 1 0 7 - 3
144
Meeting report
Throughout his career, Dr Lala has been a strong and consistent contributor to many scientific societies including those embracing placentology, immunology, reproductive immunology, cancer research and the anatomical sciences. Dr Lala’s research career highlights include major contributions in disciplines of reproductive and cancer biology. His work in the field of immunology of reproduction has advanced our understanding of two major biological riddles in nature. Namely, (a) what protects the placenta, a fetally-derived organ, from maternal immune attack? And (b) what protects the uterus from destruction by the placenta, which is a highly invasive, tumour-like structure? While these riddles remain subject to intensive current investigation, studies by Dr Lala’s group revealed that key elements to their solutions lie in maternally-derived decidual tissue and the factors it produces which play major roles in maintenance of utero-placental homeostasis. As pointed out by Dr Dennis Osmond of McGill University, Dr Lala has not retired but simply moved onto emeritus status with expanded grant support, greater numbers of trainees and more publication output per year than pre-retirement!! The symposium was co-organized by Dr. Charles Graham and Dr. Stephen Pang. Dr. Graham is an established faculty member at Queen’s University and former PhD trainee of Dr Lala. Dr Pang is Chair of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Queen’s University and has been a long term colleague of Dr Lala’s in academic endeavours relating to Chairing of Anatomy departments in North America and to promoting of Anatomical research and teaching societies. The 75 participants ranged from retired colleagues to a dozen current graduate students, and included investigators in the fields of developmental, cancer, vascular and reproductive biology as well as obstetricians. The stated goal of the organizers and sponsors was to initiate new interactions by convergence of disciplines. The symposium highlighted recent work on invasion by trophoblast and by tumour cells. This theme paid tribute to Dr Lala’s vision, in the late 1960s, of drawing mechanistic analogies between these two biological systems and to his development of models for comparative studies. Four themes were addressed by 13 keynote speakers with additional personal highlights of Dr Lala’s career presented by Drs. Graham and Osmond. The most common thread linking the presentations were the words ‘Mentor’ and ‘Helping Friend’. Dr Lala’s efforts in supporting and encouraging young scientists to achieve academic posts and to excel in them as new members of faculties were repeatedly acknowledged as a hallmark of his career. At the concluding Banquet, Dr Lala advised the audience, but particularly the younger trainees, to be sure to incorporate their families and family activities into their journey through academic and research life and to value friendships. Dr Osmond introduced another description of Peeyush, pro-
Meeting report
145
vided from an undergraduate student course evaluation, ‘Cherubic Fireball of Fun’ and he presented photographic evidence to document these words from the early part of Dr Lala’s career at McGill. Dr Lala received his MD and PhD degrees in Calcutta and came to North America in 1963 as a radiation biologist. After intervals at the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, the University of California at San Francisco and Atomic Energy Canada, Chalk River, Dr Lala spent 15 years at McGill University. In 1983, he relocated to the University of Western Ontario as Chair of Anatomy. The theme of the first symposium was Basic Cellular and Molecular Biology of Invasiveness. The topic was addressed by Drs R. Khoka, Toronto; K. McCrae, Cleveland; B. Elliott, Kingston and C. Graham, Kingston. The presentations and discussion focused on regulatory aspects of the ADAM family of proteases during transendothelial migration of tumour cells, the biology and in vivo actions of kininogen, a high molecular weight plasma protein transporter of the vasoactive molecule bradykinin, mesenchymal/epithelial cell interactions in the development of human mammary ductal carcinomas and the influences of hypoxia on gene expression and behaviour in tumour and trophoblastic cells. The second symposium topic on the regulation of trophoblast development and function was addressed by Drs G. Kidder, London, Ont., D. Morrish, Edmonton and C. Chakraborty, London, Ont. Regulated asymmetry of ion transporters in pre-implantation trophectoderm was discussed with a focus on the gamma subunit of ATPase. Dr Kidder described the efforts of his laboratory in the development and characterization of a new mouse knockout for this gene and suggested that the true importance of the gamma submit may relate to cells in hypoxic environments. Dr Morrish discussed differential gene expression between cytotrophoblast and syncytial trophoblasts while Dr Chakraborty presented his new data on the actions of IGF family members and their binding proteins (as found in decidua) on migration of human cells that model extravillous trophoblasts. The afternoon began with a session addressing mid-gestation and maternal fetal interactions. The speakers were A. Croy, Guelph, S. Cole, Kingston and V. Han, London, Ont. The presentations addressed decidual vascular modifications supporting homing of uterine Natural Killer cells in mice, transport of drugs from the mother to fetus via ABC transporter cassettes and actions of IGF family members and hypoxia in pre-eclampsia. The concluding session explored whether some aspects discussed earlier might contribute to the dysregulations seen in cancer. The speakers, who were all from London, Ont., were L. Jadeski, C. Naus and P.K. Lala. The importance of nitric oxide, vasculogenesis, gap junction formation, extracellular matrix TGFb, connexins and other genes identified by differential display were addressed in progression of various types of tumours and in
146
Meeting report
culture model systems. The concluding consensus was that many factors both known and yet to be identified, contribute to the progression of cells from a pre-malignant to a malignant phenotype and that trophoblast from humans and rodents, due to its normal invasive physiological behaviour, is a readily available and appropriate model for study of the pre-malignant phenotype. In summary, this symposium fulfilled two important functions. It provided an avenue for paying tribute to an outstanding colleague and mentor and it brought together investigators from diverse fields in a unique way that enhanced cross disciplinary thinking and insight. B. Anne Croy Department of Biomedical Sciences, Uni6ersity of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada N1G 2W 1 E-mail: [email protected] Charles H. Graham Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Queen’s Uni6ersity, Kingston, Ont., Canada K7L 3N6
Meeting report
Paths of convergence and divergence in pregnancy and malignancy: a tribute to the contributions of Dr Peeyush K. Lala
Family, colleagues and friends met in a research symposium at the Donald Gordon Conference Centre in Kingston, Ontario, June 1st to celebrate the career of scientific and academic achievements of Dr Peeyush Lala. Dr Lala’s formal career extended for more than 3 decades before official retirement was imposed last year by Canadian law. Symposium held June 1, 2002 at Kingston, Ont., sponsored by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Queen’s University Office of Research Services and Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Queen’s University.
0165-0378/02/$ - see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 1 6 5 - 0 3 7 8 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 1 0 7 - 3
144
Meeting report
Throughout his career, Dr Lala has been a strong and consistent contributor to many scientific societies including those embracing placentology, immunology, reproductive immunology, cancer research and the anatomical sciences. Dr Lala’s research career highlights include major contributions in disciplines of reproductive and cancer biology. His work in the field of immunology of reproduction has advanced our understanding of two major biological riddles in nature. Namely, (a) what protects the placenta, a fetally-derived organ, from maternal immune attack? And (b) what protects the uterus from destruction by the placenta, which is a highly invasive, tumour-like structure? While these riddles remain subject to intensive current investigation, studies by Dr Lala’s group revealed that key elements to their solutions lie in maternally-derived decidual tissue and the factors it produces which play major roles in maintenance of utero-placental homeostasis. As pointed out by Dr Dennis Osmond of McGill University, Dr Lala has not retired but simply moved onto emeritus status with expanded grant support, greater numbers of trainees and more publication output per year than pre-retirement!! The symposium was co-organized by Dr. Charles Graham and Dr. Stephen Pang. Dr. Graham is an established faculty member at Queen’s University and former PhD trainee of Dr Lala. Dr Pang is Chair of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Queen’s University and has been a long term colleague of Dr Lala’s in academic endeavours relating to Chairing of Anatomy departments in North America and to promoting of Anatomical research and teaching societies. The 75 participants ranged from retired colleagues to a dozen current graduate students, and included investigators in the fields of developmental, cancer, vascular and reproductive biology as well as obstetricians. The stated goal of the organizers and sponsors was to initiate new interactions by convergence of disciplines. The symposium highlighted recent work on invasion by trophoblast and by tumour cells. This theme paid tribute to Dr Lala’s vision, in the late 1960s, of drawing mechanistic analogies between these two biological systems and to his development of models for comparative studies. Four themes were addressed by 13 keynote speakers with additional personal highlights of Dr Lala’s career presented by Drs. Graham and Osmond. The most common thread linking the presentations were the words ‘Mentor’ and ‘Helping Friend’. Dr Lala’s efforts in supporting and encouraging young scientists to achieve academic posts and to excel in them as new members of faculties were repeatedly acknowledged as a hallmark of his career. At the concluding Banquet, Dr Lala advised the audience, but particularly the younger trainees, to be sure to incorporate their families and family activities into their journey through academic and research life and to value friendships. Dr Osmond introduced another description of Peeyush, pro-
Meeting report
145
vided from an undergraduate student course evaluation, ‘Cherubic Fireball of Fun’ and he presented photographic evidence to document these words from the early part of Dr Lala’s career at McGill. Dr Lala received his MD and PhD degrees in Calcutta and came to North America in 1963 as a radiation biologist. After intervals at the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, the University of California at San Francisco and Atomic Energy Canada, Chalk River, Dr Lala spent 15 years at McGill University. In 1983, he relocated to the University of Western Ontario as Chair of Anatomy. The theme of the first symposium was Basic Cellular and Molecular Biology of Invasiveness. The topic was addressed by Drs R. Khoka, Toronto; K. McCrae, Cleveland; B. Elliott, Kingston and C. Graham, Kingston. The presentations and discussion focused on regulatory aspects of the ADAM family of proteases during transendothelial migration of tumour cells, the biology and in vivo actions of kininogen, a high molecular weight plasma protein transporter of the vasoactive molecule bradykinin, mesenchymal/epithelial cell interactions in the development of human mammary ductal carcinomas and the influences of hypoxia on gene expression and behaviour in tumour and trophoblastic cells. The second symposium topic on the regulation of trophoblast development and function was addressed by Drs G. Kidder, London, Ont., D. Morrish, Edmonton and C. Chakraborty, London, Ont. Regulated asymmetry of ion transporters in pre-implantation trophectoderm was discussed with a focus on the gamma subunit of ATPase. Dr Kidder described the efforts of his laboratory in the development and characterization of a new mouse knockout for this gene and suggested that the true importance of the gamma submit may relate to cells in hypoxic environments. Dr Morrish discussed differential gene expression between cytotrophoblast and syncytial trophoblasts while Dr Chakraborty presented his new data on the actions of IGF family members and their binding proteins (as found in decidua) on migration of human cells that model extravillous trophoblasts. The afternoon began with a session addressing mid-gestation and maternal fetal interactions. The speakers were A. Croy, Guelph, S. Cole, Kingston and V. Han, London, Ont. The presentations addressed decidual vascular modifications supporting homing of uterine Natural Killer cells in mice, transport of drugs from the mother to fetus via ABC transporter cassettes and actions of IGF family members and hypoxia in pre-eclampsia. The concluding session explored whether some aspects discussed earlier might contribute to the dysregulations seen in cancer. The speakers, who were all from London, Ont., were L. Jadeski, C. Naus and P.K. Lala. The importance of nitric oxide, vasculogenesis, gap junction formation, extracellular matrix TGFb, connexins and other genes identified by differential display were addressed in progression of various types of tumours and in
146
Meeting report
culture model systems. The concluding consensus was that many factors both known and yet to be identified, contribute to the progression of cells from a pre-malignant to a malignant phenotype and that trophoblast from humans and rodents, due to its normal invasive physiological behaviour, is a readily available and appropriate model for study of the pre-malignant phenotype. In summary, this symposium fulfilled two important functions. It provided an avenue for paying tribute to an outstanding colleague and mentor and it brought together investigators from diverse fields in a unique way that enhanced cross disciplinary thinking and insight. B. Anne Croy Department of Biomedical Sciences, Uni6ersity of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada N1G 2W 1 E-mail: [email protected] Charles H. Graham Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Queen’s Uni6ersity, Kingston, Ont., Canada K7L 3N6