Assistant Investigator, Center for Oncology and Cell Biology
350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030
Tel: (516) 562-3465
Fax: (516) 562-1011
Email: jtumang@nshs.edu

Education:  B.A. - University of the State of New York, Regents College (1994).
Ph.D. – Weill Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences of Cornell University (2001).

Lymphocytes continually make fate decisions on the basis of diverse cues or signals from their microenvironment. Proper interpretation of these signals initiates genetic programs that lead to expansion, differentiation or death resulting in a balanced and timely resolution of infection. Misinterpretation of signals can often lead to pathologic situations such as autoimmune disease and tumorigenesis.

Our laboratory is interested in deconvoluting the processes of signal initiation, transduction and interpretation in B lymphocytes.  One goal of the laboratory is to understand how a key subset of B lymphocytes, termed B-1 cells, are influenced to provide protection against pathogens in mucosal spaces and in responding to vaccines. Another goal of the laboratory has been to identified changes in the programming of genes that trigger lymphoma. Understanding this process can ultimately help in the development of targeted medicines to treat this common cancer of the lymphatic system. A related goal of the laboratory has been to identify signaling processes that could help in determining why some patients are resistant to a particular lymphoma treatment and others are not.

Publications

Guo, B., J.R. Tumang, and T.L. Rothstein. 2009. B cell receptor crosstalk: B cells express osteopontin through the combined action of the alternate and classical BCR signaling pathways. Mol Immunol 46:587-591.

Zhong, X., J.R. Tumang, W. Gao, C. Bai, and T.L. Rothstein. 2007. PD-L2 expression extends beyond dendritic cells/macrophages to B1 cells enriched for V(H)11/V(H)12 and phosphatidylcholine binding. Eur J Immunol 37:2405-2410.

Nikolajczyk, B.S., S.H. Sardi, J.R. Tumang, and L.M. Ganley-Leal. 2007. Immunoglobulin kappa enhancers are differentially regulated at the level of chromatin structure. Mol Immunol 44:3407-3415.

Frances, R., J.R. Tumang, and T.L. Rothstein. 2007. Extreme skewing of annexin II and S100A6 expression identified by proteomic analysis of peritoneal B-1 cells. Int Immunol 19:59-65.

Busconi, L., J.W. Bauer, J.R. Tumang, A. Laws, K. Perkins-Mesires, A.S. Tabor, C. Lau, R.B. Corley, T.L. Rothstein, F.E. Lund, T.W. Behrens, and A. Marshak-Rothstein. 2007. Functional outcome of B cell activation by chromatin immune complex engagement of the B cell receptor and TLR9. J Immunol 179:7397-7405.

Yeo, S.G., J.R. Tumang, and T.L. Rothstein. 2006. Characteristic features of B cells in murine cervical lymph nodes. Acta Otolaryngol 126:56-61.

Rosenbauer, F., B.M. Owens, L. Yu, J.R. Tumang, U. Steidl, J.L. Kutok, L.K. Clayton, K. Wagner, M. Scheller, H. Iwasaki, C. Liu, B. Hackanson, K. Akashi, A. Leutz, T.L. Rothstein, C. Plass, and D.G. Tenen. 2006. Lymphoid cell growth and transformation are suppressed by a key regulatory element of the gene encoding PU.1. Nat Genet 38:27-37.

Mataraza, J.M., J.R. Tumang, M.R. Gumina, S.M. Gurdak, T.L. Rothstein, and T.C. Chiles. 2006. Disruption of cyclin D3 blocks proliferation of normal B-1a cells, but loss of cyclin D3 is compensated by cyclin D2 in cyclin D3-deficient mice. J Immunol 177:787-795.

Hastings, W.D., J.R. Tumang, T.W. Behrens, and T.L. Rothstein. 2006. Peritoneal B-2 cells comprise a distinct B-2 cell population with B-1b-like characteristics. Eur J Immunol 36:1114-1123.

Hastings, W.D., S.M. Gurdak, J.R. Tumang, and T.L. Rothstein. 2006. CD5+/Mac-1- peritoneal B cells: a novel B cell subset that exhibits characteristics of B-1 cells. Immunol Lett 105:90-96.

Frances, R., J.R. Tumang, H. Kaku, S.M. Gurdak, and T.L. Rothstein. 2006. B-1 cells express transgelin 2: unexpected lymphocyte expression of a smooth muscle protein identified by proteomic analysis of peritoneal B-1 cells. Mol Immunol 43:2124-2129.

Tumang, J.R., R. Frances, S.G. Yeo, and T.L. Rothstein. 2005. Spontaneously Ig-secreting B-1 cells violate the accepted paradigm for expression of differentiation-associated transcription factors. J Immunol 174:3173-3177.

Tian, W., R. Nunez, S. Cheng, Y. Ding, J. Tumang, C. Lyddane, C. Roman, and H.C. Liou. 2005. C-type lectin OCILRP2/Clr-g and its ligand NKRP1f costimulate T cell proliferation and IL-2 production. Cell Immunol 234:39-53.

Frances, R., J.R. Tumang, and T.L. Rothstein. 2005. B-1 cells are deficient in Lck: defective B cell receptor signal transduction in B-1 cells occurs in the absence of elevated Lck expression. J Immunol 175:27-31.

Tumang, J.R., W.D. Hastings, C. Bai, and T.L. Rothstein. 2004. Peritoneal and splenic B-1 cells are separable by phenotypic, functional, and transcriptomic characteristics. Eur J Immunol 34:2158-2167.

Greenwald, R.J., J.R. Tumang, A. Sinha, N. Currier, R.D. Cardiff, T.L. Rothstein, D.V. Faller, and G.V. Denis. 2004. E mu-BRD2 transgenic mice develop B-cell lymphoma and leukemia. Blood 103:1475-1484.

Tumang, J.R., R.S. Negm, L.A. Solt, T.J. Schneider, T.P. Colarusso, W.D. Hastings, R.T. Woodland, and T.L. Rothstein. 2002. BCR engagement induces Fas resistance in primary B cells in the absence of functional Bruton's tyrosine kinase. J Immunol 168:2712-2719.

Tumang, J.R., C.Y. Hsia, W. Tian, J.F. Bromberg, and H.C. Liou. 2002. IL-6 rescues the hyporesponsiveness of c-Rel deficient B cells independent of Bcl-xL, Mcl-1, and Bcl-2. Cell Immunol 217:47-57.

Owyang, A.M., J.R. Tumang, B.R. Schram, C.Y. Hsia, T.W. Behrens, T.L. Rothstein, and H.C. Liou. 2001. c-Rel is required for the protection of B cells from antigen receptor-mediated, but not Fas-mediated, apoptosis. J Immunol 167:4948-4956.

Liou, H.C., Z. Jin, J. Tumang, S. Andjelic, K.A. Smith, and M.L. Liou. 1999. c-Rel is crucial for lymphocyte proliferation but dispensable for T cell effector function. Int Immunol 11:361-371.

Tumang, J.R., A. Owyang, S. Andjelic, Z. Jin, R.R. Hardy, M.L. Liou, and H.C. Liou. 1998. c-Rel is essential for B lymphocyte survival and cell cycle progression. Eur J Immunol 28:4299-4312.

Tumang, J.R., J.L. Zhou, D. Gietl, M.K. Crow, K.B. Elkon, and S.M. Friedman. 1996. T helper cell-dependent, microbial superantigen-mediated B cell activation in vivo. Autoimmunity 24:247-255.

Schattner, E.J., K.B. Elkon, D.H. Yoo, J. Tumang, P.H. Krammer, M.K. Crow, and S.M. Friedman. 1995. CD40 ligation induces Apo-1/Fas expression on human B lymphocytes and facilitates apoptosis through the Apo-1/Fas pathway. J Exp Med 182:1557-1565.

Li, Y., G.R. Sun, J.R. Tumang, M.K. Crow, and S.M. Friedman. 1995. Characterization of oligoclonal synovial T-cells in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann N Y Acad Sci 756:192-194.

Zagon, G., J.R. Tumang, Y. Li, S.M. Friedman, and M.K. Crow. 1994. Increased frequency of V beta 17-positive T cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 37:1431-1440.

Li, Y., G.R. Sun, J.R. Tumang, M.K. Crow, and S.M. Friedman. 1994. CDR3 sequence motifs shared by oligoclonal rheumatoid arthritis synovial T cells. Evidence for an antigen-driven response. J Clin Invest 94:2525-2531.

Friedman, S.M., J.R. Tumang, and M.K. Crow. 1993. Microbial superantigens as etiopathogenic agents in autoimmunity. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 19:207-222.

Crow, M.K., G. Zagon, Z. Chu, B. Ravina, J.R. Tumang, B.C. Cole, and S.M. Friedman. 1992. Human B cell differentiation induced by microbial superantigens: unselected peripheral blood lymphocytes secrete polyclonal immunoglobulin in response to Mycoplasma arthritidis mitogen. Autoimmunity 14:23-32.

Tumang, J.R., E.P. Cherniack, D.M. Gietl, B.C. Cole, C. Russo, M.K. Crow, and S.M. Friedman. 1991. T helper cell-dependent, microbial superantigen-induced murine B cell activation: polyclonal and antigen-specific antibody responses. J Immunol 147:432-438.

Friedman, S.M., D.N. Posnett, J.R. Tumang, B.C. Cole, and M.K. Crow. 1991. A potential role for microbial superantigens in the pathogenesis of systemic autoimmune disease. Arthritis Rheum 34:468-480.

Friedman, S.M., M.K. Crow, J.R. Tumang, M. Tumang, Y.Q. Xu, A.S. Hodtsev, B.C. Cole, and D.N. Posnett. 1991. Characterization of human T cells reactive with the Mycoplasma arthritidis-derived superantigen (MAM): generation of a monoclonal antibody against V beta 17, the T cell receptor gene product expressed by a large fraction of MAM-reactive human T cells. J Exp Med 174:891-900.

Tumang, J.R., D.N. Posnett, B.C. Cole, M.K. Crow, and S.M. Friedman. 1990. Helper T cell-dependent human B cell differentiation mediated by a mycoplasmal superantigen bridge. J Exp Med 171:2153-2158.