Education

• B.S., Chemistry, St. John Fisher College
• Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
• Fellowship, Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University

Research

Dr. Pinto's laboratory focuses on mechanisms by which diet-derived factors prevent primary and secondary prostrate and colon cancer development. Their studies show that sulfur- and selenium-containing amino acids can be converted to direct-acting metabolites whose intracellular levels depend on tissue expression of specific transaminase enzymes.

Research interests include identifying chemopreventive strategies for diminishing primary and secondary cancer risks. Investigations examine effects of organosulfur, organoselenium and polyphenolic compounds on redox responsive metabolic pathways within human prostate, breast, and colon cancer cells. Epigenetic mechanisms have been identified by which these diet-derived constituents exert control over cell growth and proliferation through sulfhydryl-disulfide regulation of signal proteins that affect transcription factors of gene expression and inhibit histone deacetylation. Histone deacetylase inhibitors are highly sought after agents that control diseases where inappropriate gene activation is a causal feature, namely viral replications and in cancer prevention and control.

Publications

• Cooper AJL, Dorai T, Pinto JT, et. al. "Metabolic Heterogeneity, Plasticity, and Adaptation to "Glutamine Addiction" in Cancer Cells: The Role of Glutaminase and the GTωA [Glutamine Transaminase-ω-Amidase (Glutaminase II)] Pathway." Biology, 12(8), (2023) . doi: 10.3390/biology12081131
• Cooper AJL, Dorai T, Pinto JT, et. al. "α-Ketoglutaramate-A key metabolite contributing to glutamine addiction in cancer cells." Frontiers in medicine, 13(), (2022) 1035335. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1035335
• Kumar A, Vaish M, Karuppagounder SS, et. al. "HIF1α stabilization in hypoxia is not oxidant-initiated." eLife, 10(), (2021) . doi: 10.7554/eLife.72873
• Dorai T, Pinto JT, Denton TT, et. al. "The metabolic importance of the glutaminase II pathway in normal and cancerous cells." Analytical biochemistry, 644(), (2022) 114083. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.114083
• Cooper AJL, Dorai T, Pinto JT, et. al. "The metabolic importance of the overlooked asparaginase II pathway." Analytical biochemistry, 644(), (2022) 114084. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.114084
• Dorai T, Dorai B, Pinto JT, et. al. "High Levels of Glutaminase II Pathway Enzymes in Normal and Cancerous Prostate Suggest a Role in 'Glutamine Addiction'." Biomolecules, 10(1), (2019) . doi: 10.3390/biom10010002
• Karuppagounder SS, Alin L, Chen Y, et. al. "N-acetylcysteine targets 5 lipoxygenase-derived, toxic lipids and can synergize with prostaglandin E(2) to inhibit ferroptosis and improve outcomes following hemorrhagic stroke in mice." Annals of neurology, 84(6), (2018) 854-872. doi: 10.1002/ana.25356

View All Publications