Associate Professor

Contact Information:
Email: dmcgee@lsuhsc.edu
Office Phone: 318-675-8138
Laboratory Phone: 318-675-8139
Office Fax: 318-675-5764

Education/Training:
Postdoctoral Study, University of Maryland-Baltimore
Ph.D., Microbiology and Immunology, 1997, Allegheny University of the Health Sciences (now Drexel University)
B.S., Microbiology, 1992, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (now University of the Sciences in Philadelphia)

Major Research Interests:  Helicobacter pylori and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum host-pathogen interactions

Helicobacter pylori is a fascinating bacterium that spends most of its time in the harsh acidic environment of the human stomach.  A very successful and highly-adapted pathogen, H. pylori infects about 50% of the world's population, causing an extraordinary range of disease severity-- from gastritis and peptic ulcers to gastric cancer and MALT lymphoma. H. pylori thus serves as a model for pathogen-induced carcinogenesis.  Disease severity is dependent on genes produced by the bacterium, genetic polymorphisms of the host, and environmental influences (eg., diet), making this organism an exciting challenge to unravel these various contributors to disease processes.   Our long-term goal is to unravel the mechanisms by which H. pylori causes these diverse disease manifestations.  Our recent interest has centered on understanding the role of the chemotaxis genes, and the enzymes arginase and serine deaminase in pathogenesis.  We are also examining the role of host cholesterol in H. pylori colonization and phsyiology.  Our research may lead to novel insights into host-pathogen interactions and aid in development of a desperately needed vaccine to prevent H. pylori infection and its sequelae.

Arcanobacterium haemolyticum is a Gram positive rod that is an emerging pathogen.  It causes pharyngitis in adolescents and wound infections.  Our understanding of this organism’s physiology, metabolism and virulence are almost completely unknown.  Several recently initiated projects include random sequence analysis of the genome, proteomics of organisms grown under different conditions, and establishment of a tissue culture model.  We will focus on characterizing genes and proteins that help us to understand the mechanisms of pathogenesis.

Representative Publications:
Viator, R. J., R. F. Rest, E. Hildebrandt, and D. J. McGee.  2008.  Characterization of the metal-promiscuous Bacillus anthracis arginase: effects of pH, temperature, and cell viability on metal specificity.  BMC Biochemistry, 9:15.  PMID: 18522738.

Hildebrandt, E and D. J. McGee.  2009.  Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide modification, Lewis antigen expression, and gastric colonization are cholesterol-dependent.  BMC Microbiology, 9:258.  PMID: 20003432.

Senkovich, O., S. Ceaser, D. J. McGee, and T. L. Testerman.  2010.  Unique host iron-utilization mechanisms of Helicobacter pylori revealed using iron-deficient chemically-defined media.  Infect. Immun. 78: 1841-1849.  PMID: 20176792.

Lucas, E. A, S. J. Billington, P. Carlson, D. J. McGee*, and B. H. Jost.  2010.  Phospholipase D promotes Arcanobacterium haemolyticum adhesion via lipid raft remodeling and host cell death following bacterial invasion.  BMC Microbiology 10:270 doi:10.1186/1471-2180-10-270  *, corresponding author.  PMID: 20973961.

Trainor, E. A., K. E. Horton, T. L. Testerman, P. B. Savage, and D. J. McGee.  2011.  Helicobacter pylori displays cholesterol-dependent resistance to ceragenins and bile salts: Role of the HefC efflux pump.  Infect. Immun., 79: 88-97.  PMID: 20974830.

Langford, M. P., D. J. McGee, K. Ta, T. B. Redens, and D. E. Texada.  2011.  Multiple caspases mediate acute renal cell apoptosis induced by bacterial cell wall components.  Renal Failure, 33:192-206.  PMID: 21332342.

D. J. McGee, A. E. George, E. A. Trainor, K. E. Horton, E. Hildebrandt and T. L. Testerman.  2011. Cholesterol enhances Helicobacter pylori resistance to antibiotics and LL-37.  Antimicrobial Agents Chemo., 55:2897-2904.   PMID: 21464244.  *Article featured as Journal Highlights in ASM’s publication Microbe.

Senkovich, O., J. Yin, V. Ekshyyan, C. Conant, J. Traylor, D. J. McGee, R. Rhoads, S. Slepenkov, and T. L. Testerman.  2011.  Helicobacter pylori AlpA and AlpB bind laminin and reduce gastric inflammation in gerbils.  Infect. Immun., in press.  PMID: 21576328.

Kim, S. H., M. L. Langford, J.-L. Boucher, T. L. Testerman, and D. J. McGee.  2011.  The Helicobacter pylori arginase mutant colonizes arginase II knockout mice.  World J. Gastroenterol., 17: in press.

All Publications: PubMed