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Biology

University of Texas at El Paso

Theses/Dissertations

Cancer

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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Bcl2 Mediated Targeted Drug Delivery For The Treatment Of Kidney Fibrosis And Stomach Cancer, Humayra Afrin May 2024

Bcl2 Mediated Targeted Drug Delivery For The Treatment Of Kidney Fibrosis And Stomach Cancer, Humayra Afrin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Apoptosis, the programmed death of cells, is primarily regulated by a delicate balance between pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic signals. The Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2) family of proteins acts as anti-apoptotic agents, promoting cell survival. Dysregulation of these proteins is a common occurrence in conditions such as cancer and fibrosis, where overexpression of anti-apoptotic members can foster tumor cell survival and fibroblast activation. In this study, our aim was to explore the therapeutic potential of Bcl-2 inhibitors, both as a small molecule (specifically Navitoclax (Navi)), inhibitor and as Bcl-2 siRNA, for targeted treatment. Intravenous administration of Navi often leads to thrombocytopenia, necessitating …


Exploring The Anticancer Mechanism Of Thienopyrazole Derivative Tpz-1 In Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Jessica Dyanne Hess Dec 2022

Exploring The Anticancer Mechanism Of Thienopyrazole Derivative Tpz-1 In Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Jessica Dyanne Hess

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Anticancer drug discovery is a time and resource-consuming process for which exceedingly reliable and efficient modern approaches are needed. Phenotypic drug screenings can generate highly potent and innovative drug candidates; however, deconvolution of the drugâ??s target often presents significant barriers to drug development. To overcome this hurdle, we have originally combined in vitro and in silico analyses to uncover the molecular mechanism(s) driving the anticancer activity of the uniquely structured small molecule drug candidate, Tpz-1. Our study revealed that Tpz-1 is a multitargeted agent which induces the programmed death of HL-60 acute myeloid leukemia cells primarily through disruption of microtubule …


In Vitro Investigation Of Tumor Selective Piperidones As Therapeutic Agents Against Leukemia Cancer Cells, Lisett Contreras Dec 2021

In Vitro Investigation Of Tumor Selective Piperidones As Therapeutic Agents Against Leukemia Cancer Cells, Lisett Contreras

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Cancer is a continuous global health issue. It is the second leading cause of death behind heart disease. Disparities across the emergence of cancer and resulting fatalities raise the importance of researching the disease. Treatments are available for certain types of cancers. However, these are typically accompanied by residual problems including side effects and the possibility for relapse. Some treatments attack all cells, leading to unwarranted side effects that make the possibility of living a comfortable life nearly impossible. Other treatments are specific to certain genetic alterations, making them only useful for a small percentage of patients. Not one treatment …


Evaluation Of The Cytotoxyc Effects Of Lmdf5-7 On A Human T-Cell Leukemia Cell Line, Andrea F. Ibarra Chacon May 2021

Evaluation Of The Cytotoxyc Effects Of Lmdf5-7 On A Human T-Cell Leukemia Cell Line, Andrea F. Ibarra Chacon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

According to World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with 9.6 million deaths in 2018 . In the United States, an estimated 434,982 people were living with cancer during 2017 . Leukemia is the most common blood cancer in children from birth to 14 years old . In particular, Hispanic children in the United States experience a higher incidence rate of leukemia . Therefore, the discovery of novel cancer therapies is necessary to help those affected survive the disease. A new compound, LMDF5-7 was investigated and found to have anticancer properties that can help …


Identification Of A Novel Single Amino Acid Substitution (V666g) Of Jak1 From A Patient With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Impairs Jak3 Mediated Il-2 Signaling, Alice Hernandez Grant Jan 2020

Identification Of A Novel Single Amino Acid Substitution (V666g) Of Jak1 From A Patient With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Impairs Jak3 Mediated Il-2 Signaling, Alice Hernandez Grant

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Janus kinase (JAK) family, notably JAK1, JAK2 and JAK3 are recognized as oncogenic drivers in high risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). The bulk of activating JAK mutations are thought to occur within functional hot-spots across Janus Homology (JH) domains. The most frequently mutated regions is the JH2 pseudo-kinase, which provides a negative regulatory role to the adjacent catalytically active JH1 kinase domain. Despite the prevalence of JAK activating mutations and a need for new therapeutic inhibitors, there is a lack of understanding in the allosteric regulation of JAK kinases. Here we sought to identify mutations involved in driving ALL …


Comparative Proteomic Analysis Of Extracellular Vesicles From Prostate Cancer-Derived Cell Lines, Gloria Polanco Jan 2016

Comparative Proteomic Analysis Of Extracellular Vesicles From Prostate Cancer-Derived Cell Lines, Gloria Polanco

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the leading non-cutaneous malignancy and the second deadliest among American men. PCa mortality rates among African American men are much higher than any other ethnic group, and the same is true for men of African ancestry world-wide. There is also a lack of reliable diagnostic markers and effective treatment options. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been observed to play an important role in cancer processes such as promotion of tumor growth and metastasis. They are also a promising source of diagnostic markers. This study addresses these problems by studying the proteome of EVs derived from PCa cells …


Altered Leptin Signaling On Dendritic Cells As A Potential Mechanism For Cancer Immunotherapy, Lorena Y. De Los Santos Jan 2011

Altered Leptin Signaling On Dendritic Cells As A Potential Mechanism For Cancer Immunotherapy, Lorena Y. De Los Santos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Leptin is a pleiotropic hormone synthesized primarily by white adipocytes and its receptors are expressed in a variety of tissues and cells such as in the hypothalamus and cells of the immune system. Multiple cell types can produce a considerable amount of leptin such as skeletal muscle, placenta, and osteoblasts to name a few and its synthesis has been shown to be regulated by sex hormones and a broad range of inflammatory mediators. Although leptin has been shown to directly affect immune response, we are interested in how leptin affects dendritic cell function and their ability to induce a proper …


Structural Investigation Of Atp-Utilizing Enzymes: Structures Involved In H+ Homeostasis And The Proliferation Of Hormone-Dependent Cancers, Zacariah Louis Hildenbrand Jan 2010

Structural Investigation Of Atp-Utilizing Enzymes: Structures Involved In H+ Homeostasis And The Proliferation Of Hormone-Dependent Cancers, Zacariah Louis Hildenbrand

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ATP is a multifunctional nucleotide considered to be the "molecular unit of currency" of intracellular energy transfer. ATP is utilized ubiquitously for the transport of chemical energy within the cell in addition to acting as a substrate in the regulation of many metabolic and signaling transduction pathways such as kinase-mediated signaling cascades. Interestingly, the functional mechanisms of many enzymes require the binding of ATP to trigger key structural and conformational changes that ultimately result in enzyme-directed catalysis. Two of the most omnipresent ATPases within the cell include the V-ATPase rotary proton pump and the Hsp90 protein-folding chaperone. Structural and biochemical …