The University of Toledo

Assistant Professor
E-mail Address: randall.worth@utoledo.edu
Office Phone Number: 419-383-5192

Lab Homepage

2008 College of Medicine Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence

• The role of platelets in inflammation and host defence against infections
• Role of calcium waves in phagolysosome biogenesis.

Dr. Worth is interested in the role of platelets in inflammation and infection.  Dr. Worth has identified certain membrane domains that participate in phagocytosis and may also be important in mediating phagosome-lysosome fusion. Dr. Worth also heads a translational project directed at understanding the role of platelets in such autoimmune diseases as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. This project is revealing exciting new ways that platelets respond to IgG-complexes and the important interface between thrombosis and inflammation. At a basic science level, Dr. Worth is interested in identifying pathways involved in pathogen destruction by platelets and leukocytes within host phagolysosomes. 

Book Chapter:

Worth, R.G ., A.D. Schreiber. Fc receptors and phagocytosis. In. Molecular Mechanisms of Phagocytosis. Landes Publishers.

Refereed Publications:

22. Cortes, C., Saggu, G., Emch, H.N., Ramirez, G., Worth, R.G., Ferreira, V.P. 2013. Identification of a novel mode of complement activation on stimulated platelets mediated by properdin. J. Immunol. 190:6457-67.

21. Dearth, C.L, Goh, Q., Marino, J.S., Cicinelli, P.A., Torres-Palsa, M.J., Pierre, P., Worth, R.G., Pizza,F.X. 2013. Skeletal muscle cells express ICAM-1 after muscle overload and ICAM-1 contributes to the ensuing hypertrophic response. PLoS One. 8(3):e58486. 

20. Woodman, M.E., Worth, R.G., Wooten, R.M. 2012. Serum opsonization promotes the efficient uptake and killing of Burkholderia pseudomallei via induction of NADPH-oxidase by human neutrophils. PLOS One. 7(12):e52276.

19. Berlacher, M.D., Vieth, J.A., Heflin, B.C., Gay, S.R., Antczak, A.J., Singh, N., Montel, A.H., Kahaleh, M.B., Worth, R.G. 2013. FcγRIIa ligation induces platelet hypersensitivity to thrombotic stimuli. Am. J. Pathol. 182:244-54.

18. Vieth, J.A., Kim, M-k., Glaser,D., Stiles, K., Schreiber, A.D., Worth,R.G. 2013. FcγRIIa requires lipid rafts but not co-localization into rafts, for effector function. Inflamm. Res. 62:37-43.

17. Riaz, A.H., Tasma, B.E., Woodman, M.E., Wooten, R.M., Worth, R.G. 2012. Human platelets efficiently kill IgG-opsonized E. coli. FEMS Immunol. Med. Microbiol. 65:78-83. 

16. Antczak, A.J., Vieth, J.A., Singh, N., Worth, R.G. 2011. Internalization of IgG-coated targets results in activation and secretion of soluble CD40 ligand and RANTES by human platelets. Clin. Vaccine Immunol. 18:210-216.

15. Vieth JA, Kim MK, Pan XQ, Schreiber AD, Worth RG. 2010. Differential requirement of lipid rafts for FcγRIIA mediated effector activities. Cell. Immunol. 265:111-119.

14. Daniels, A.B., Worth, R.G., Dickstein, R.J., Dickstein, J.S., Kim-Han, T.H., Kim, M.K., Schreiber, A.D. 2010 Analysis of FcγRIIA cytoplasmic tail requirements in signaling for serotonin secretion: evidence for an ITAM-dependent, P13K-dependent pathway.  Scand J Immunol. 2010 71(4):232-239. PMID: 20384866 [PubMed - in process]

13. Antczak, A.J., Singh, N., Gay, S.R., Worth, R.G.  IgG-complex stimulated platelets: A source of sCD40L and RANTES in initiation of inflammatory cascase. Cell Immunol. 2010 March 20. [Epub ahead of print]

12. Worth, R.G., C.D. Chien, P. Chien, M.P. Reilly, S.E. McKenzie S.E., A.D. Schreiber  2006. Platelet FcγRIIA binds and internalizes IgG-containing complexes.  Exp. Hematol. 34: 1490-1495.  

11. Huang, Z.-Y., Barreda, Z.R., Worth, R.G., Indik, Z.K., Kim, M.K., Chien, P., Schreiber, A.D.  2006. Differential kinase requirements in human and mouse Fcγ receptor phagocytosis and endocytosis.  J. Leuk. Biol. 80:1553-62.

10. Huang, Z.-Y., Hunter, S., Kim, M.-K., P.Chien, Worth, R.G., Indik, Z.K., and Schreiber, A.D.  2004. The monocyte Fcγ receptors FcγRI/γ and FcγRIIA differ in their interaction with Syk and with Src-related tyrosine kinases.  J. Leuk. Biol. 76:491-499.

9. Worth, R.G., Kim, M.-K., Jones, B.A., Daniels, A.B., Dickstein, R., Hunter, S., Chien, P., Schreiber, A.D.  2003. Differing structural requirements for FcγRIIA mediated signaling events.  Allergy Clin. Immunol. Int'l. Supplement 2, p197-200.   

8. Kim, M-K, Hwang, P.-H.,  Huang, Z.-Y., Jones, B.A., Sato, N., Hunter, S. Kim-Han, T.-H,  Worth, R.G.,  Indik, Z.K.,  Schreiber, A.D.  2003.  Signal sequence Fcγ receptor transmembrane domains: Role in cell surface expression, gamma chain interaction and phagocytosis.  Blood.  101:4479-4484.

7. *Worth, R.G., Kim, M-K., Kindzelskii, A.L., Petty, H.R.,  Schreiber, A.D.  2003.  Signal sequence within FcγRIIA controls calcium wave propagation patterns: apparent role in phagolysosome fusion. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 100:4533-4538. * Reviewed in Research Roundup, “Calcium waves in membrane fusion,” J. Cell Biol. 161:221.

6. Petty, H.R., Worth, R.G., Todd III, R.F.  2002. Interactions of integrins with their partner proteins in leukocyte membranes.  Immunol. Res. 25:75-95.

5. Worth RG, Mayo-Bond L, Kim MK, van de Winkel JG, Todd RF 3rd, Petty HR, Schreiber AD. 2001. The cytoplasmic domain of FcgammaRIIA (CD32) participates in phagolysosome formation. Blood. 98(12):3429-34.

4. Worth, R.G.,  Esper, R.M., Warra, N.S., Rosenspire, A.J., Todd, III, R.F., Petty, H.R.  2001.  Mercury inhibition of neutrophil activity: evidence of aberrant cellular signaling and incoherent cellular metabolism.  Scan. J. Immunol. 53:49-55.

3. Ben-Ozer, E.Y., Warra, N.S., Esper, R.M., Worth, R.G., Kindzelskii, A.L., McCabe, M.J., Rosenspire, A.J., Petty, H.R. 2000.  Mercuric chloride damages cellular DNA by a non-apoptotic mechanism.  Mut. Res. 470:19-27.

2. Petty, H.R., Worth, R.G., Kindzelskii, A.L. 2000. Imaging sustained dissipative patterns in the metabolism of individual living cells. Phys. Rev. Let. 84:2754-2757.

1. Worth, R.G., Mayo-Bond, L., van de Winkle, J.G.J., Todd III, R.F., Petty, H.R. 1996. CR3 (αmβ2; CD11b/CD18) restores IgG-dependent phagocytosis in transfectants expressing a phagocytosis defective FcγRIIA (CD32) tail minus mutant. J. Immunol. 157:5660-5665.