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- Genre: Masters Thesis
Description
Patients with malignant brain tumors have a median survival of approximately 15 months following diagnosis, regardless of currently available treatments which include surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Improvement in the survival of brain cancer patients requires the design of new therapeutic modalities that take advantage of common phenotypes. One such phenotype is the metabolic dysregulation that is a hallmark of cancer cells. It has therefore been postulated that one approach to treating brain tumors may be by metabolic alteration such as that which occurs through the use of the ketogenic diet (KD). The KD is high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that induces ketosis and has been utilized for the non-pharmacologic treatment of refractory epilepsy. It has been shown that this metabolic therapy enhances survival and potentiates standard therapy in mouse models of malignant gliomas, yet the anti-tumor mechanisms are not fully understood.
The current study reports that KetoCal® (KC; 4:1 fat:protein/carbohydrates), fed ad libitum, alters hypoxia, angiogenic, and inflammatory pathways in a mouse model of glioma. Tumors from animals maintained on KC showed reduced expression of the hypoxia marker carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA IX), a reduction in hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) and decreased activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Animals maintained on KC also showed a reduction in expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and decreased microvasculature in their tumors. Further, peritumoral edema was significantly reduced in animals fed the KC and protein analysis showed significantly altered expression of the tight junction protein zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) and the water channeling protein aquaporin-4 (AQP4), both of which have been implicated in malignant processes in glioma, including the formation of peritumoral edema in patients. Taken together the data suggests that KC alters multiple processes involved in malignant progression of gliomas. A greater understanding of the effects of the ketogenic diet as an adjuvant therapy will allow for a more rational approach to its clinical use.
The current study reports that KetoCal® (KC; 4:1 fat:protein/carbohydrates), fed ad libitum, alters hypoxia, angiogenic, and inflammatory pathways in a mouse model of glioma. Tumors from animals maintained on KC showed reduced expression of the hypoxia marker carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA IX), a reduction in hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) and decreased activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Animals maintained on KC also showed a reduction in expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and decreased microvasculature in their tumors. Further, peritumoral edema was significantly reduced in animals fed the KC and protein analysis showed significantly altered expression of the tight junction protein zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) and the water channeling protein aquaporin-4 (AQP4), both of which have been implicated in malignant processes in glioma, including the formation of peritumoral edema in patients. Taken together the data suggests that KC alters multiple processes involved in malignant progression of gliomas. A greater understanding of the effects of the ketogenic diet as an adjuvant therapy will allow for a more rational approach to its clinical use.
ContributorsWoolf, Eric C (Author) / Scheck, Adrienne C (Thesis advisor) / Lake, Douglas F (Committee member) / LaBaer, Joshua (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Adaptive therapy utilizes competitive interactions between resistant and sensitive cells by keeping some sensitive cells to control tumor burden with the aim of increasing overall survival and time to progression. The use of adaptive therapy to treat breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer in preclinical models has shown significant results in controlling tumor growth. The adaptive therapy model comes from the integrated pest management agricultural strategy, predator prey model, and the unique intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity of tumors. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and compare gemcitabine dose response on hormone refractory breast cancer cells retrieved from mice using an adaptive therapy strategy with standard therapy treatment. In this study, we compared intermittent (drug holiday) adaptive therapy with maximum tolerated dose therapy. The MCF7 resistant cell lines to both fulvestrant and palbociclib were injected into the mammary fat pads of 8 weeks old NOD/SCID gamma (NSG) mice which were then treated with gemcitabine. Tumor burden graphs were made to track tumor growth/decline during different treatments while Drug Dose Response (DDR) curves were made to test the sensitivity of the cell lines to the drug gemcitabine. The tumor burden graphs showed success in controlling the tumor burden with intermittent treatment. The DDR curves showed a positive result in using the adaptive therapy treatment method to treat mice with gemcitabine. Due to some fluctuating DDR results, the sensitivity of the cell lines to gemcitabine needs to be further studied by repeating the DDR experiment on the other mice cell lines for stronger results.
ContributorsConti, Aviona Christina (Author) / Maley, Carlo (Thesis advisor) / Blattman, Joseph (Committee member) / Anderson, Karen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
A big part of understanding cancer is understanding the cellular environment itthrives in by analyzing it from a microecological perspective. Humans and other species
are affected by different cancer types, and this highlights the notion that there may be a
correlation between specific tissues and neoplasia prevalence. Research shows that
humans are the most susceptible to adenocarcinomas and carcinomas which include the
following tissues: lungs, breast, prostate, and pancreas. Furthermore, research shows that
adenocarcinoma accounts for 38.5% of all lung cancer cases, 20% of small cell
carcinomas, and 2.9% of large cell carcinoma. The incidence of the most common cancer
types in humans is consistently increasing annually. This study analyzes trends of tissue-specific cancers across species to examine possible contributors to vulnerability to
cancer. I predicted that adenocarcinomas would be the most prevalent cancer type across
the tree of life. To test this hypothesis, I reviewed over 130 species that reported equal to
or greater than 50 individual necropsy pathology records across 4 classes (Mammalia,
amphibia, Reptilia, Aves) and ranked them by neoplasia prevalence. This information was
then organized in tables in descending order. The study’s resulting tables and data
concluded that the hypothesis was correct. I found that across all species
adenocarcinomas were the most common cancer type and account for 30.4% of
malignancies reported among species. Future research should investigate how organ size
contributes to neoplasia prevalence.
ContributorsPERAZA, ASHLEY (Author) / Maley, Carlo (Thesis advisor) / Boddy, Amy (Thesis advisor) / Baciu, Cristina (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Recent studies have shown that human papillomavirus (HPV) plays a role in development of cancers, one of which is head and neck cancer. There is strong and consistent molecular evidence demonstrating that human papillomavirus (HPV) is an etiological cause of these oropharyngeal cancers. Despite the introduction of HPV vaccines, there is still an increase in human papillomavirus associated OPC (HPVOPC) and it is expected that the incidence of head and neck cancer, specifically oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) will increase. The aim of this study is to utilize human papillomavirus (HPV) seropositivity for rapid detection of HPV early specific antigen-antibodies using a lateral flow assay.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 proteins of interest, E7, E6 and CE2 were expressed and purified in E. coli for detection of specific antibodies using lateral flow assay because viral and host factors impact the serologic responses to HPV early antigens in HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer. 17 samples and 5 controls with already known antibody reactivity from ELISA analysis were selected for HPV serologic responses. The lateral flow strip was evaluated for its color band intensity using Image J software. Peak area was used to quantify the color intensity of the lateral flow strip. Out of the 17 samples, 11 (64.7%) showed high antibody levels to E7, 12 (70.6%) showed high Ab levels to E6 and 6 (35.3%) showed high Ab levels to CE2. Correlation coefficient between antibody detection by sight and ELISA for E7, CE2 and E6 were 0.6614, 0.4845 and 0.2372 respectively and correlation coefficient between lateral flow assay and ELISA for E7, CE2 and E6 were 0.3480, 0.1716 and 0.1644 respectively. This further proves patients or samples with HPV 16 oropharyngeal cancer have detectable antibodies to early E7, E6 and E2 proteins, which are potential biomarkers for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 proteins of interest, E7, E6 and CE2 were expressed and purified in E. coli for detection of specific antibodies using lateral flow assay because viral and host factors impact the serologic responses to HPV early antigens in HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer. 17 samples and 5 controls with already known antibody reactivity from ELISA analysis were selected for HPV serologic responses. The lateral flow strip was evaluated for its color band intensity using Image J software. Peak area was used to quantify the color intensity of the lateral flow strip. Out of the 17 samples, 11 (64.7%) showed high antibody levels to E7, 12 (70.6%) showed high Ab levels to E6 and 6 (35.3%) showed high Ab levels to CE2. Correlation coefficient between antibody detection by sight and ELISA for E7, CE2 and E6 were 0.6614, 0.4845 and 0.2372 respectively and correlation coefficient between lateral flow assay and ELISA for E7, CE2 and E6 were 0.3480, 0.1716 and 0.1644 respectively. This further proves patients or samples with HPV 16 oropharyngeal cancer have detectable antibodies to early E7, E6 and E2 proteins, which are potential biomarkers for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer.
ContributorsLadipo, Evelyn (Author) / Anderson, Karen S (Thesis advisor) / Hogue, Brenda G (Committee member) / Hou, Ching-Wen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide and exhibits a male-bias in occurrence and mortality. Previous studies have provided insight into the role of inherited genetic regulation of transcription in modulating sex-differences in HCC etiology and mortality. This study uses pathway analysis to add insight into the biological processes that drive sex-differences in HCC etiology as well as a provide additional framework for future studies on sex-biased cancers. Gene expression data from normal, tumor adjacent, and HCC liver tissue were used to calculate pathway scores using a tool called PathOlogist that not only takes into consideration the molecules in a biological pathway, but also the interaction type and directionality of the signaling pathways. Analysis of the pathway scores uncovered etiologically relevant pathways differentiating male and female HCC. In normal and tumor adjacent liver tissue, males showed higher activity of pathways related to translation factors and signaling. Females did not show higher activity of any pathways compared to males in normal and tumor adjacent liver tissue. Work suggest biologic processes that underlie sex-biases in HCC occurrence and mortality. Both males and females differed in the activation of pathways related apoptosis, cell cycle, signaling, and metabolism in HCC. These results identify clinically relevant pathways for future research and therapeutic targeting.
ContributorsRehling, Thomas E (Author) / Buetow, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Wilson, Melissa (Committee member) / Maley, Carlo (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021