Michael Bennett, MD

Professor
Pathology, Immunology
Graduate Program: Immunology
Molecular Microbiology

Contact Information

UT Southwestern Medical Center
5323 Harry Hines Boulevard
Dallas, Texas 75390

Office Phone: 214-648-4103
Office Fax: 214-648-4033

michael.bennett@utsouthwestern.edu

Biography

My laboratory is involved in studies of murine bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells, unlike T or B cells, fail to rearrange TCR or Ig receptor genes and, therefore, do not have a vast repertoire of receptors. The receptors recently discovered, however, do recognize and bind to MHC class I molecules. Rather than killing target cells after this recognition event, a "negative signal" is transmitted to the NK cells. A failure to receive the negative signal allows the NK cell to kill through positive signals. We are analyzing these activating receptors and how they regulate the ability of mice to reject bone marrow grafts. In addition, we are developing a model system of treatment of leukemia by blocking the negative signals that NK cells receive from class I molecule; this allows NK cells to lyse autologous tumor cells very well. T cell depletion of marrow grafts prevents severe graft-v-host disease but makes the marrow grafts very sensitive to rejection. Clinically applicable approaches are used to induce 'tolerance' to allogeneic marrow grafts to allow the use of T cell depletion safely.

Education

Graduate SchoolBaylor College of Medicine (1961)

Research Interests

Bone Marrow Transplantation
Natural Killer Cells

Publications

Featured
Peculiar immunobiology of bone marrow allografts I. Graft rejection by heavily irradiated "responder" mice

Cudkowicz G, Bennett M , Journal of Experimental Medicine , Winter 1971; (134):8-102

Featured
Mechanisms of genetic resistance to Friend virus leukemia in mice. I. Role of 89Sr-sensitive effector cells responsible for rejection of bone marrow allografts.

Kumar V, Echner RJ, Bennett M , Joiurnal of Experimental Medicine , Summer 1974; (139):1093-1109

Featured
Peculiar immunobiology of bone marrow allografts. II. Rejection of parental grafts by F1 hybrid mice.

Cudkowicz G, Bennett M , Journal of Experimental Medicine , Summer 1971; (135):1513-1528

Featured
Tolerance and aloreactivity of the Ly49D subset of murilne NK cells.

George TC, Ortaldo JR, Lemieux S, Kumar V, Bennett M , Journal of Immunology , Spring 1999; (163):1859-1867

Featured
Extended self-renewal capacity of pluripotent hemopoietic cells: Association with persistent Friend focus forming virus.

Echner RJ, Hettrick KL, Greenberger JS, Bennett M , Cell , Spring 1982; (31):731-738

NK inhibitory blockade for purging leukemia: effects on hematopoiesis

Koh CY, Raziuddin A, Welniak LA, Blazar BR, Bennett M, Murphy WJ , Biology of Blood & Bone Marrow Transplantation , Winter 2002; (8):17-25

Perforin- and Fas-dependent mechanisms of natural killer cell-mediated rejection of incompatible bone marrow cell graftsn

Taylor MA, Ward B, Schatzle JD, Bennett M , European Journal of Immunology , Spring 2002; (32):793-799

Rejection of marrow allografts: importance of H2 homozygosity of donor cells.

Bennett M , Transplantation , Spring 1972; (14):289-2998

Definition of additional ligands for Ly49I(B6) using FVB.Ly49I(B6) transgenic mice and B6 NK cell effectors

Morris MA, Koullich E, Liu J, Arora V, George TC, Schatzle JD, Bennett M , Transplantation , Fall 2002; (74):1449-1454

Increased bone marrow allograft rejection by depletion of NK cels expressing inhibitory Ly49 receptors for donor class I antigens

Raziuddin A, Longo DL, Winkler-Pickett R, Bennett M, Ortaldo JR, Murphy WJ , Blood , Fall 2002; (vol 100):3026-3033

Honors/Awards

Frances Stone Burns

Best Cancer Research Project in Massachusetts (1973)

A. J. Gill

Professor of Pathology 1991-present

Research Career Development

National Cancer Institute 1974-1979 CA70879

Professional Associations/Affiliations

American Association of Immunologists

International Society of Experimental Hematology