Abby Benninghoff
Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences (ADVS)
Department Head | Professor
Contact Information
Office Hours: By appointmentOffice Location: AGRS 248A
Phone: (435) 797-8649
Email: abby.benninghoff@usu.edu
Educational Background
Expertise
Toxicology, Cancer and Gene Regulation // Program goals: To understand the influence of environmental factors on mechanisms of gene regulation in determining health and disease in animals and humans; Determinehow some environmental chemicals interact with the genome through nuclear receptor activation or epigenome modification to alter cancer risk.
Biography
Abby Benninghoff is a Professor of Toxicology and the Interim Head of the Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences at Utah State University. Dr. Benninghoff joined Utah State in 2010 and maintains a multidisciplinary research program in toxicology, nutrition, and gut health. From 2018 to 2022, she served as as the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Student Services for the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, and then began her tenure as Interim Head for ADVS in 2022.
Research Interests
Research in Dr. Benninghoff’s laboratory is multi-disciplinary, covering topics ranging from diet and cancer to mechanisms of genome reprogramming and gene regulation to toxicology. A major goal of Dr. Benninghoff’s research program is to understand the influence of environmental factors on mechanisms of gene regulation in determining health and disease in animals and humans. Dr. Benninghoff’s research program is currently supported by funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, the National Institutes of Health.
Awards
Outstanding Graduate Mentor of the Year, 2016
Utah State University
Distinguished Associate Professor of Honors Education, 2014
Utah State University
Sunrise Speaker USU Office of Research and Graduate Studies, 2018
Keynote Speaker Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference, 2016
Award of Excellence to W-3122 Multi-State Research Group, 2016
Western Extension and Research Directors, USDA
Graduate Mentor of the Year, 2015
College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
Faculty Researcher of the Year, 2014
Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences
Faculty Researcher of the Year, 2013
Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences
Colgate/Palmolive Grants for Alternative Research Award, 2006
Society of Toxicology and the Colgate/Palmolive Company
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2006
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Publications | Abstracts
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
- Walter, R.B, Tilton, S.C, Orner, G.O, Benninghoff, A., Bailey, G.S, Williams, D.E, (2008). Carcinogenesis models: focus on xiphophorus and rainbow trout: Oceans and Human Health. Risks and Remedies from the Seas.
Publications | Book Chapters
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- Heine, L., Scarlett, T., Wagner, J.G, Lewandowski, R.P, Benninghoff, A., Tindle, A.N, Skedel, A.E, Harkema, J.R, Pestka, J.J, (2024). Crystalline Silica-Triggered AutoimmunityInduced Pulmonary Inflammatory and Autoantibody Responses and Glomerulonephritis in Mature Adult NZBW/F1 Lupus-prone Mice and Influence ofSuppressed by Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intervention. Inhalation Toxicology, doi: 10.1080/08958378.2024.2318378
- Anderson, S.N, Dederich, T., Elsberg, J.G, Benninghoff, A.D, Berreau, L., (2024). Investigating the Combined Toxicity of Cu(II) and Carbon Monoxide (CO): Cellular CO Delivery using a Cu(II) Flavonolato Complex. ChemMedChem, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/cmdc.202300682
- Pestka, J.J, Chauhan, P.S, Benninghoff, A., Favor, O., Wagner, J.G, Lewandowski, R.P, Rajasinghe, L.D, Li, Q., Harkema, J.R, (2024). Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation Inhibits Acute Pulmonary Transcriptional and Autoantibody Responses to a Single Crystalline Silica Exposure in Lupus-Prone Mice. Frontiers in Immunology, doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1275265
- Rodriguez, D.M, Hintze, K.J, Rompato, G., Stewart, E.C, Barton, A., Mortensen, E., Green, P.A, Van Wettere, A., Thomas, A., Benninghoff, A.D, (2023). Basal diet fed to recipient mice was the driving factor for colitis and colon tumorigenesis, despite fecal microbiota transfer from mice with severe or mild disease. Nutrients, 15:6, 1338. doi: 10.3390/nu15061338
- Park, N., Sledge, T., Benninghoff, A., Walsh, M.K, (2023). Influence of different food models and storage temperatures on the bacterial growth inhibition by maltodextrin laureate and sucrose laureate and investigation of their cytotoxicity. Food Control, 143, 109295. doi: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109295
- Rodriguez, D.M, Hintze, K.J, Rompato, G., Van Wettere, A., Ward, R.E, Phatak, S., Neal, C., Armbrust, T., Stewart, E., Thomas, A., Benninghoff, A., (2022). Dietary supplementation with black raspberries altered the gut microbiome composition in a mouse model of colitis-associated colorectal cancer, although with differing effects for a healthy versus a Western basal diet. Nutrients, 14, 5270. doi: 10.3390/nu14245270
- Heine, L., Benninghoff, A., Elizabeth, R., Rajasinghe, L.D, Wagner, J.G, Lewandowski, R., Li, Q., Buchweitz, J.P, Zyskowski, J., Tindle, A., Skedel, A., Chargo, N., Harkema, J.R, Pestka, J.J, (2022). Comparative effects of human-equivalent low, moderate, and high dose oral prednisone intake on autoimmunity and glucocorticoid-related toxicity in a murine model of environmental-triggered lupus. Frontiers in Immunology, doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.972108
- Lazarus, L., Dederich, T.C, Anderson, S.N, Benninghoff, A., Berreau, L., (2022). Flavonol-Based Carbon Monoxide Delivery Molecule with Endoplasmic Reticulum, Mitochondria, And Lysosome Localization. ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 13, 236-242. doi: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00595
- Rajasinghe, L.D, Benninghoff, A., Bates, M.A, Wierenga, K.A, Harkema, J.R, Pestka, J.J, (2022). Silica induction of diverse inflammatory proteome in lungs of lupus-prone mice quelled by dietary docosahexaenoic acid supplementation. Frontiers in Immunology, 12, 781446. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.781446
- Cuthbert, J.M, Russell, S.J, Polejaeva, I., Meng, Q., White, K.L, Benninghoff, A., (2021). Comparing mRNA and sncRNA profiles during the maternal-to-embryonic transition in bovine IVF and scNT embryos.. Biology of Reproduction, 105:6, 1401–1415. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioab169
- Cuthbert, J.M, Russell, S.J, Polejaeva, I.A, Meng, Q., White, K.L, Benninghoff, A.D, (2021). Dynamics of small non-coding RNAs in bovine scNT embryos through the maternal-to-embryonic transition. Biology of Reproduction, 105:4, 918-933. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioab107
- Aardema, N.D, Rodriguez, D.M, Van Wettere, A., Benninghoff, A., Hintze, K.J, (2021). The Western Dietary Pattern Combined with Vancomycin-Mediated Changes to the Gut Microbiome Exacerbates Colitis Severity and Colon Tumorigenesis. Nutrients, 13:3, 881. doi: 10.3390/nu13030881
- Chauhan, S, Wagner, J.G, Benninghoff, A., Lewandowski, R.P, Favor, O.K, Wierenga, K.A, Gilley, K.N, Ross, E.A, Harakema, J.R, Pestka, J.J, (2021). Rapid Induction of Pulmonary Inflammation, Autoimmune Gene Expression, and Ectopic Lymphoid Neogenesis Following Acute Silica Exposure in Lupus-Prone Mice. Frontiers in Immunology, 12, 635138. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.635138
- Popova, M., Soboleva, T., Benninghoff, A., Berreau, L., (2020). CO Sense and Release Flavonols: Progress toward the Development of an Analyte Replacement PhotoCORM for Use in Living Cells . ACS Omega, 17, 10021-10033.
- Lazarus, L.S, Benninghoff, A., Berreau, L., (2020). Development of Triggerable, Trackable and Targetable Carbon Monoxide Releasing Molecules. Acc. Chem. Res. , 53, 2273-2285.
- Rajasinghe, L.D, Li, Q.Z, Zhu, C., Yan, M., Chauhan, P.S, Wierenga, K.A, Bates, M.A, Harkema, J.R, Benninghoff, A., Pestka, J.J, (2020). Omega-3 fatty acid intake suppresses induction of diverse autoantibody repertoire by crystalline silica in lupus-prone mice. Autoimmunity, 53:7, 415-433. doi: 10.1080/08916934.2020.1801651
- Wierenga, K.A, Strakovsky, R.S, Benninghoff, A., Rajasinghe, L.D, Lock, A.L, Harkema, J.R, Pestka, J.J, (2020). Requisite omega-3 HUFA biomarker thresholds for preventing murine lupus flaring. Frontiers in Immunology, 11, 1796. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01796
- Gilley, K.N, Wierenga, K.A, Chauhuan, P.S, Wagner, J.G, Lewandowski, R.P, Ross, E.A, Lock, A.L, Harkema, J.R, Benninghoff, A., Pestka, J.J, (2020). Influence of total western diet on docosahexaenoic acid suppression of silica-triggered lupus flaring in NZBWF1 mice. Plos One, 15:5, e0233183. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233183
- Benninghoff, A., Hintze, K.J, Monsanto, S., Rodriguez, D.M, Hunter, A., Phatak, S., Pestka, J.J, Van Wettere, A., Ward, R.E, (2020). Consumption of the total Western diet promotes colitis and inflammation-associated colorectal cancer in mice. Nutrients, 12:2, 544. doi: 10.3390/nu12020544
- Ward, R.E, Benninghoff, A., Hintze, K.J, (2020). Food matrix and the microbiome: considerations for pre-clinical chronic disease studies. Nutrition Research, 78, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2020.02.012
- Benninghoff, A., Bates, M.A, Chauhan, P.S, Wierenga, K.A, Gilley, K.N, Holian, A., Harkema, J.R, Pestka, J.J, (2019). Docosahexaenoic acid consumption impedes early interferon- and chemokine-related gene expression while suppressing silica-triggered flaring of murine lupus. Frontiers in Immunology, 10, 2851. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02851
- Soboleva, T., Simons, C.R, Arcidiacono, A., Benninghoff, A., Berreau, L., (2019). Extra- vs. Intracellular Delivery of CO: Does it Matter for a Stable, Diffusible Gasotransmitter?. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 62, 9990-9994.
- Rodriguez, D., Benninghoff, A., Aardema, N., Phatak, S., Hintze, K.J, (2019). Basal diet determined long-term composition of the gut microbiome and mouse phenotype to a greater extent than fecal microbiome transfer from lean or obese human donors. Nutrients, 11:7, 1630. doi: doi.org/10.3390/nu11071630
- Bates, M.A, Benninghoff, A., Gilley, K.N, Holian, A., Harkema, J.R, Pestka, J.J, (2019). Mapping of dynamic transcriptome changes associated with silica-triggered autoimmune pathogenesis in the lupus-prone NZBWF1 mouse. Frontiers in Immunology, 10, 632. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00632
- Cuthbert, J., Russell, S., White, K.L, Benninghoff, A., (2019). The maternal-to-zygotic transition in bovine in vitro-fertilized embryos is associated with marked changes in small non-coding RNAs. Biology of Reproduction, 100:2, 331-350. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioy190
- Bates, M.A, Akbari, P., Gilley, K.N, Jackson-Humbles, D.N, Wagner, J.G, Li, N., Kopec, A.K, Wierenga, K.M, Brandenberger, C., Holian, A., Benninghoff, A., Harkema, J.R, Pestka, J.J, (2018). Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid Prevents Silica-Induced Development of Pulmonary Ectopic Germinal Centers and Glomerulonephritis in the Lupus-Prone NZBWF1 Mouse. Frontiers in Immunology, 9, article 2002. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02002
- Popova, M., Soboleva, T., Ayad, S., Benninghoff, A., Berreau, L., (2018). A Visible Light-activated Quinolone Carbon Monoxide-releasing Molecule: Prodrug and Albumin-assisted Delivery Enable Anti-cancer and Potent Anti-inflammatory Effects. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 140:30, 9721–9729. doi: 10.1021/jacs.8b06011
- Soboleva, T., Esquer, H.J, Anderson, S.N, Berreau, L., Benninghoff, A., (2018). Mitochondrial-Localized Versus Cytosolic Intracellular CO-Releasing Organic PhotoCORMs: Evaluation of CO Effects Using Bioenergetics. ACS Chemical Biology, doi: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00387
- Hintze, K.J, Benninghoff, A., Cho, C.E, Ward, R.E, (2018). Modeling the Western diet for pre-clinical investigations. Advances in Nutrition, 9:3, 263-271. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmy002
- Shi, B., Thomas, A., Benninghoff, A., Sessions, B., Meng, Q., Parasar, P., Rutigliano, H., White, K.L, Davies, C., (2018). Genetic and epigenetic regulation of major histocompatibility complex 1 class I gene expression in bovine trophoblast cells. American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 79:e12779, 1-12. doi: 10.1111/aji.12779
- Soboleva, T., Benninghoff, A., Berreau, L., (2017). An H2S-sensing/CO-releasing Flavonol that Operates via Logic Gates. ChemPlusChem, 82, 1408-1412.
- Soboleva, T., Esquer, H., Benninghoff, A., Berreau, L., (2017). Sense and Release: A Thiol-responsive Flavonol-based PhotoCORM that Operates via a Multiple-input AND Logic Gate. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 139, 9435-9438. doi: 10.1021/jacs.7b04077
- Benninghoff, A., (2017). Data on the effect of in utero exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on genomewide patterns of DNA methylation in lung tissues. Data in Brief, 13, 498-513. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.04.047
- Hintze, K.J, Benninghoff, A., Ward, R.E, (2017). Improving animal diets to increase relevance to human populations. Functional Foods in Health and Disease , 7:5, 329-337.
- Benninghoff, A., (2017). DNA methylation in lung tissues of mouse offspring exposed in utero to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Food and Chemical Toxicology, doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.04.047
- Benninghoff, A., (2017). Amplify your teaching impact: capitalizing on 1-on-1 instruction. Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence, 1:1, 6-22.
- Ward, R.E, Benninghoff, A., Healy, B.J, Li, M., Vagu, B., Hintze, K.J, (2017). Consumption of the total Western diet differentially affects the response to green tea in rodent models of chronic disease compared to the AIN93G diet. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, 61:4, 1600720The. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201600720
- Monsanto, S.P, Hintze, K.J, Ward, R.E, Larson, D.P, Lefevre, M., Benninghoff, A., (2016). The new total Western diet for rodents does not induce an overweight phenotype or alter parameters of metabolic syndrome in mice. Nutrition Research, 36:9, 1031-1044. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2016.06.002
- Anderson, S.N, Richards, J.M, Esquer, H.J, Benninghoff, A., Arif, A.M, Berreau, L., (2015). A New Structurally-Tunable 3-Hydroxyflavone Motif for Visible Light-induced CO-releasing Molecules. ChemistryOpen, 4, 590-594.
- Benninghoff, A., Lefevre, M., Hintze, K.J, Ward, R.E, Broadbent, J.R, (2015). Fighting cancer with functional foods: new approaches to investigate the interactions of dietary bioactive chemicals and the gut microbiome. Journal of Developments in Sustainable Agriculture, 10:1, 34-54. doi: 10.11178/jdsa.10.34
- Davis, A.P, Benninghoff, A., Thomas, A., Sessions, B., White, K.L, (2015). DNA methylation of the LIN28 pseudogene family. BMC Genomics, 16, 287. doi: 10.1186/s12864-015-1487-3
- Saraf, S.L, Fish, T., Benninghoff, A., Buelt, A., Smith , R.C, Berreau, L., (2014). Photochemical Reactivity of RuII(n6-p-cymene) Flavonolate Complexes. Organometallics, 33, 6341-6351.
- Hintze, K.J, Lefevre, M., Ward, R.E, Benninghoff, A., Broadbent, J.R, Cox, J., (2014). Broad scope method for creating humanized animal models for animal health and disease research through antibiotic treatment and human fecal transfer. Gut Microbes, 5, 183-191. doi: 10.4161/gmic.28403
- Polejaeva, I., Broek, D., Walker, S., Zhou, W., Walton, M., Benninghoff, A., Faber, D., (2013). Longitudinal study of reproductive performance of female cattle produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer. PLoS One, 8:12, e84283. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084283
- Benninghoff, A., Fish, T., Louderback, M., Williams, D., (2013). The role of estrogen receptor beta (ERb) in transplacental cancer prevention by indole-3-carbinol. Cancer Prevention Research.. Cancer Prevention Research, 6:4, 339-348. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-12-0311
- Shorey, L., Maughan, A., Wlliams, D., Dashwood, R., Ho, E., Benninghoff, A., (2012). 3,3’-Diindolylmethane induces G1 arrest and apoptosis in human acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia cells. PLoS One, 7:4, e34975. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0034975
- Hintze, K.J, Benninghoff, A., Ward, R.E, (2012). Formulation of the Total Western Diet (TWD) as a basal diet for rodent cancer studies.. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60:27, 6736-6742. doi: 10.1021/jf204509a
- Benninghoff, A., Orner, G.A, Buchner, C., Hendricks, J.D, Duffy, A.M, Williams, D.E, (2012). Promotion of hepatocarcinogenesis by perfluoroalkyl acids in rainbow trout. Toxicological Sciences, 125:1, 69-78. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfr267
- Benninghoff, A., Bisson, W., Koch, D., Koluri, S.K, Williams, D.E, (2011). Estrogen-like activity of polyfluorinated chemicals in vivo and interaction with human and trout estrogen receptors in vitro. Toxicological Sciences, 120:1, 42-58. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfq379
- Salinas, K., Serrano, J., Higgins, L., Benninghoff, A., Williams, D., Walker, C., Hemmer, M., (2010). Identification of two isoforms of vitelline envelope protein in the plasma of rainbow trout exposed to 17β-estradiol. Molecular Reproduction and Development, 77:11, 963-970. doi: 10.1002/mrd.21244
- Williams, D.E, Willard, K.D, Orner, G.A, Hendricks, J.D, Pereira, C., Benninghoff, A., Bailey, G.S, (2009). Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and ultra-low dose cancer studies. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology and Pharmacology, 149:2, 175-81. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2008.12.002
- Krueger, S.K, Henderson, M.C, Siddens, L.K, VanDyke, J.E, Benninghoff, A., Andrew, A.P, Furnes, B., Schlenk, D., Williams, D.E, (2009). Characterization of Sulfoxygenation and Structural Implications of Human Flavin-Containing Monooxygenase Isoform 2 (FMO2.1) Variants S195L and N413K. Drug Metabolism and Disposition, 37:8, 1785-1791. doi: 10.1124/dmd.109.027201
- Benninghoff, A., Williams, D.E, (2008). Identification of a transcriptional fingerprint of estrogen exposure in rainbow trout liver. Toxicological Sciences, 101:1, 65-80. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfm238
- Tilton, S.C, Orner, G.A, Benninghoff, A., Hendricks, J.D, Williams, D.E, (2008). Genomic profiling reveals an alternate mechanism for hepatic tumor promotion by perfluorooctanoic acid in rainbow trout. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116:8, 1047-55.
- Mohamed, J.S, Benninghoff, A., Holt, G.J, Khan, I.A, (2007). Developmental expression of the G protein-coupled receptor 54 and three GnRH mRNAs in the teleost fish cobia. Journal of Molecular Endocrinology, 38:2, 235-44. doi: 10.1677/jme.1.02182
- Faulk, C.E, Benninghoff, A., Holt, G.J, (2007). Ontogeny of the gastrointestinal tract and selected digestive enzymes in cobia (Rachycentron canadum) larval development. Journal of Fish Biology, 70, 567-583. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01330.x
- Benninghoff, A., (2007). Toxicoproteomics – the next step in the evolution of environmental biomarkers?. Toxicological Sciences , 95:1, 1-4. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfl157
- Benninghoff, A., Thomas, P., (2006). Gonadotropin regulation of testosterone synthesis by theca and granulosa cells of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus): I. Role of CaMK in calcium-mediated steroidogenesis and interactions between calcium and adenylyl cyclase pathways. General and Comparative Endocrinology , 147:3, 276-287. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2006.01.013
- Benninghoff, A., Thomas, P., (2006). Gonadotropin regulation of testosterone synthesis by theca and granulosa cells of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus): II. Involvement of a mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. General and Comparative Endocrinology , 147:3, 288-296. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2006.01.014
- Thomas, P., Dressing, G., Pang, Y., Berg, H., Tubbs, C., Benninghoff, A., Doughty, D., (2006). Progestin, estrogen and androgen G-protein coupled receptors in fish gonads.. Steroids, 71:4, 310-316. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2005.09.015
- Benninghoff, A., Thomas, P., (2005). Involvement of calcium and calmodulin in the regulation of ovarian steroidogenesis in Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) and modulation by Aroclor 1254. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 144:3, 211-223. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2005.06.005
- Benninghoff, A., Thomas, P., (2003). Interactions of calcium and cyclic AMP signaling pathways regulating steroidogenesis in primary cultured theca and granulosa cells of Atlantic croaker. Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 28:1-4, 327-328. doi: 10.1023/B:FISH.0000030572.66804.65
Professional Journal
- Hatton, T., Barnett, S., Benninghoff, A., Rashid, K., (2012). Productivity studies utilizing recombinant CHO cells in stirred-tank bioreactors: a comparative study between pitched-blade and backed-bed reactor systems. BioProcessing Journal, 11:2, 29-36.
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.