Kenneth Bernstein, MD Director, Experimental Pathology Research Scientist, Biomedical Sciences
Email: kenneth.bernstein@cshs.org Phone: (310) 423-7562

Academic Appointments

Awards and Activities

Research Focus

The laboratory studies the renin-angiotensin system, a collection of proteins important in blood pressure control, heart disease and renal disease. Genetic models in mice are used to investigate the basic physiology and biochemistry of the renin-angiotensin system. The lab discovered important contributions of this system to hematopoiesis, reproduction, cancer immunology and lung injury, in addition to the cardiovascular system. In particular, the lab is investigating the possibility of manipulating this system as a means of increasing immune resistance to cancer.

Research Contributions

Cloning of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and the major receptor for angiotensin II (AT1). Determination that testis ACE is the result of an intragenic, testis-specific promoter. Studies characterizing angiotensin II, the AT1 receptor and intracellular kinase activation. Creation of a mouse model null for ACE. Determination that ACE is important in hematopoiesis, reproduction and lung injury. Discovery that mice with the over expression of ACE in macrophages have an enhanced immune response to tumors.

Current investigations include:

The use of mouse genetic models to investigate the physiology and biochemistry of the renin-angiotensin system in cardiovascular disease, cancer and lung injury. The manipulation of the renin-angiotensin system as a means of increasing immune resistance to cancer.

Selected Publications

1. Shen XZ, Li P, Weiss D, Fuchs S, Xiao HD, Adams JA, Williams IR, Capecchi MR, Taylor WR, Bernstein KE: Mice with enhanced macrophage angiotensin-converting enzyme are resistant to melanoma. Am. J. Pathol., 170(6): 2122-34, 2007
2. Esther CR, Howard TE, Marino EM, Goddard JM, Capecchi MR, Bernstein KE: Mice lacking angiotensin-converting enzyme have low blood pressure, renal pathology, and reduced male fertility. Lab. Invest., 74(5): 953-65, 1996
3. Marrero MB, Schieffer B, Paxton WG, Heerdt L, Berk BC, Delafontaine P, Bernstein KE: Direct stimulation of Jak/STAT pathway by the angiotensin II AT1 receptor. Nature, 375(6528): 247-50, 1995
4. Marrero MB, Paxton WG, Duff JL, Berk BC, Bernstein KE: Angiotensin II stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma 1 in vascular smooth muscle cells. J. Biol. Chem., 269(14): 10935-9, 1994
5. Murphy TJ, Alexander RW, Griendling KK, Runge MS, Bernstein KE: Isolation of a cDNA encoding the vascular type-1 angiotensin II receptor. Nature, 351(6323): 233-6, 1991
6. Howard TE, Shai SY, Langford KG, Martin BM, Bernstein KE: Transcription of testicular angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is initiated within the 12th intron of the somatic ACE gene. Mol. Cell. Biol., 10(8): 4294-302, 1990