Jaekwon Lee

Assistant Professor
Office: N210 Beadle Center
Phone: 402-472-2658
E-mail: jlee7@unlnotes.unl.edu

Research Interests

Metal-ions play critical roles in biological processes and in the development of human diseases. Metals including Cu, Fe, Zn and Se are essential micronutrients, since they serve as catalytic cofactors of redox (reduction and oxidation) reactions and structural cofactors of a number of proteins. However, they are toxic upon accumulation in excess. Transition metal-ions readily catalyze reactions that result in the production of toxic hydroxyl radicals. The cellular damages induced by the reactive oxygen intermediates are believed to be major contributing factors to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neuronal diseases, and aging. It has been shown that metal metabolism including uptake, distribution, incorporation and excretion is controlled by delicate mechanisms in order to acquire essential metal-ions without toxic accumulation.
The research program in my laboratory focuses on understanding how organisms maintain homeostatic Cu metabolism, and what is the molecular basis of defective Cu metabolism in human diseases. Although there has been significant progress in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of Cu metabolism including characterization of Cu transporters, many of the components involved have not yet been identified. The mechanisms of action of each component and interactions among components in systemic Cu homeostasis need to be elucidated as well. These studies are important not only in understanding the mechanisms of Cu homeostasis, but also in developing better strategies for the treatment of various Cu- and reactive oxygen intermediate-related human diseases.

Selected Publications

Lee, J., Prohaska, J.R. and Thiele, D.J. (2001) Essential role for mammalian copper transporter Ctr1 in copper homeostasis and embryonic development. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98, 6842-6847. (With cover figure and commentary).

Lee, J., Pena, M.M.O., Nose, Y. and Thiele, D.J. (2002) Biochemical characterization of the human plasma membrane copper transporter Ctr1. J. Biol. Chem. 277, 4380-4387.

Lee, J., Petris, M. J. and Thiele, D.J. (2003) Characterization of mouse embryonic cells deficient in the Ctr1 high affinity copper transporter: Identification of a Ctr1-independent copper transport system. J. Biol. Chem. 277, 40253-4025