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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

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 …


Toxicity Of Indoor Dust-Derived Trace Elements And Organic Contaminants Impact On Normal Human Colon Epithelial Cells, Noura Abdulrahman Dec 2021

Toxicity Of Indoor Dust-Derived Trace Elements And Organic Contaminants Impact On Normal Human Colon Epithelial Cells, Noura Abdulrahman

Theses (2016-Present)

Indoor dust stands out as a burgeoning challenge in society due to its implication on people’s health. Exposure to toxic dust particles occurs in different ways that include inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact. In the hindsight, many people spend most of their time indoors exposing themselves to high levels of dust. Notably, different groups of individuals present varied risk levels to the toxicity of particles with vulnerable persons being susceptible to adverse effects of these contaminants. This includes the elderly, children, and immunocompromised individuals. The study examines the impacts of two variables that are trace elements (TMD) and organic contaminants …


The Investigations Of Nps Modulated Immunity And Immunometabolism, Brittney Leigh Ruedlinger Dec 2021

The Investigations Of Nps Modulated Immunity And Immunometabolism, Brittney Leigh Ruedlinger

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Cancers remain in the top noncommunicable diseases responsible for premature mortality. The heterogeneity among cancers and within tumors makes treating them ever more challenging. Our misfortune for developing cures is mocked by cancer, with the lowest probability of success (PoS) through clinical trials and FDA approval. At the basic level, there are generally two broad gaps impeding cancer eradication: the unidentified shared mechanism(s) exploited by all cancers and the therapeutic approach to intervene. Nanosecond pulse stimulation (NPS) offers a unique approach since its broad impacts intersect those often hijacked by oncogenesis. Metabolic pathways, known for dysfunctions among cancers, share a …


Understanding The Mechanistic Roles Of Integrin Alpha 6 In Tumor Development Using A Humanized Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Model System, Ashley B. Williams Aug 2021

Understanding The Mechanistic Roles Of Integrin Alpha 6 In Tumor Development Using A Humanized Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Model System, Ashley B. Williams

Honors College Theses

Present day cancer incidence and mortality rates indicate the need for effective cancer diagnostic tools and targeted cancer therapeutic strategies. Recent studies have focused on the biological pathways of cells and tumor microenvironments to identify putative biomarkers and potential drug targets as diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Human integrins, adhesion receptors, have become the focal points in these studies, specifically Integrin Alpha 6 (ITGA6) which has been implicated in major tumor progression roles: metastasis and angiogenesis. These characteristics make ITGA6 an excellent candidate for potential drug or diagnostic target, however, the mechanism by which ITGA6 facilitates tumor progression remains unclear. Cell …


Examination Of Methylation Status And Occupancy Of Dna Methylation Modifying Proteins On Regulatory Regions Of The Dax-1 Gene, Caroline P. Riedstra Aug 2021

Examination Of Methylation Status And Occupancy Of Dna Methylation Modifying Proteins On Regulatory Regions Of The Dax-1 Gene, Caroline P. Riedstra

Master's Theses

Epigenetic modifications influence gene expression and thereby play a pivotal role in development and disease. Misregulation and mutations in the DAX-1 gene, or Dosage-Sensitive Sex Reversal, Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita, Critical Region on the X chromosome, gene 1, have been implicated in Adrenal Hypoplasia Congenita (AHC) and Dosage Sensitive Sex Reversal (DSS). The orphan nuclear hormone receptor DAX-1 is expressed predominantly in tissues such as the testes, ovaries, breast, adrenal cortex, and lung. Critically, DAX-1 may serve as an indicator of aberrant growth in these tissues. Here we hypothesize that DAX-1 is epigenetically regulated, specifically in cancer cells, thereby reducing its …


Unveiling Global Roles Of G-Quadruplexes And G4-22 In Human Genetics, Ruth Barros De Paula Aug 2021

Unveiling Global Roles Of G-Quadruplexes And G4-22 In Human Genetics, Ruth Barros De Paula

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

G-quadruplexes are non-B DNA structures formed by four or more runs of repeated guanines that confer unique features to living organism’s genomes. These sequences are enriched in regulatory regions, such as promoters and 5’ UTRs, and have distinct regulatory roles in both health and disease states. Even though previous studies showed the impact of G4 in gene expression, none of them summarized the location-specific effect of G4. Also, there is no broad understanding about the most common G4 repeat in the human genome, named here as G4-22, and how it links to the evolution of mammals and their biology. In …


An Assessment Of Inp/Zns As Potential Anti-Cancer Therapy: Quantum Dot Treatment Induces Stress On Hela Cells, Victoria Grace Davenport Aug 2021

An Assessment Of Inp/Zns As Potential Anti-Cancer Therapy: Quantum Dot Treatment Induces Stress On Hela Cells, Victoria Grace Davenport

MSU Graduate Theses

Indium Phosphide/Zinc Sulfide (InP/ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) are an emerging option in QD technologies for uses of fluorescent imaging as well as targeted drug and anti-cancer therapies based on their customizable properties. In this study we explored effects of InP/ZnS when treated with HeLa cervical cancer cells. We employed XTT viability assays, reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis, and apoptosis analysis to better understand cytotoxicity extents at different concentrations of InP/ZnS. In addition, we compared the transcriptome profile from the QDtreated HeLa cells with that of untreated HeLa cells to identify changes to the transcriptome in response to the QD. Intracellular …


A Comparative Study On Cannabidiol In Melanoma Migration And Invasion: Charlotte's Web Vs. Purified Cbd, 2020–2021, Ruby Thamert Jul 2021

A Comparative Study On Cannabidiol In Melanoma Migration And Invasion: Charlotte's Web Vs. Purified Cbd, 2020–2021, Ruby Thamert

Theses

Over the last decade, much attention has been focused on compounds from Cannabis sativa in treating a variety of diseases including cancer. This study examines the abilities of two different cannabidiol oils to decrease the migration and invasion of melanoma cells in vitro. Skin cancers are the most common cancers in the world. While malignant melanoma is the least common type of skin cancer, it is the deadliest. Patients diagnosed with stage IV disease have only a 15-20% five-year survival rate even with aggressive multimodal treatment, demonstrating the need for additional therapeutic options. Because melanoma is often fatal when …


Evolution Of Targeted Therapy Resistance In Eml4-Alk Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Robert Vander Velde Jun 2021

Evolution Of Targeted Therapy Resistance In Eml4-Alk Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Robert Vander Velde

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Targeted therapies have emerged as potent treatments that lead to the remission of many tumors. However, they rarely cure cancers in advanced, metastatic settings. This is due to the evolution of resistance, which in turn can be ascribed to the survival of small subpopulations of tolerant and/or resistant cells. Here we investigated the evolution of resistance to EML4-ALK inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and demonstrated that resistance evolves gradually, from unique pre-treatment sub-populations, as multiple resistance mechanisms accumulate in a Darwinian fashion. Despite accumulating multiple changes, cells evolved, in parallel, toward similar inhibitor specific phenotypes. Evolving cells have …


A Forward Genetic Screen To Identify Human Genes Of Interest And Their Roles In Ovarian Cancer, Susan A. Ihejirika May 2021

A Forward Genetic Screen To Identify Human Genes Of Interest And Their Roles In Ovarian Cancer, Susan A. Ihejirika

Honors College Theses

Drosophila melanogaster, fruit flies, are very important for modeling and studying human diseases. This study identifies human genes of interest and their contributions to epithelial ovarian carcinogenesis and progression as well as the roles orthologs of these genes play in Drosophila melanogaster. This is important because ovarian cancer is the most common cause of death among the gynecological cancers. This identification of genes was carried out using a forward genetic screen employing the widely used GMR-Gal4 driver/UAS-transgene system. The GMR-Gal4 driver is commonly utilized to express transgenes in the developing eye of the fruit fly. Transgenes that are expressed using …


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 …


Investigating Bmp7 Expression In Glioblastoma Multiforme, Yajaira Janett Macias May 2021

Investigating Bmp7 Expression In Glioblastoma Multiforme, Yajaira Janett Macias

Theses and Dissertations

The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway regulates important cell processes such as growth, survival, motility, inflammation, proliferation, and apoptosis. In Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is aberrant as it is almost always active. This results in the deregulation of downstream molecules and ultimately leads to cancer progression and maintenance in GBM tumors. In this study, we used RNA-sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in U87MG GBM cells treated with NVP-BEZ235, a dual inhibitory drug targeting PI3K and mTOR. A total of 7,803 differentially expressed genes were identified via RNA-seq. GEPIA2 online tool was used to assess differential gene expression …


Examining The Mechanistic Roles Of Integrin Alpha-6 In Cancer Metastasis., Chase T. Clark Mar 2021

Examining The Mechanistic Roles Of Integrin Alpha-6 In Cancer Metastasis., Chase T. Clark

Honors College Theses

Metastasis- the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumor to the surrounding tissues- is responsible for 90% of cancer deaths. Integrin alpha-6 (ITGA6) is a specific transmembrane cell surface protein that functions in cell surface adhesion and signaling. ITGA6 is upregulated in many types of cancers and promotes the migration and invasion of cancer cells to surrounding tissues. It is my objective to determine the mechanism through which ITGA6 facilitates the migration of cancer cells through the extracellular matrix (ECM). These experiments helped to establish the role of ITGA6 in tumor development and provide focus for possible chemotherapeutic treatment. …


Use Of Small Molecule Fanconi Anemia Pathway Inhibitors As Sensitizing Agents To Laromustine., Sam W. Marchant Jan 2021

Use Of Small Molecule Fanconi Anemia Pathway Inhibitors As Sensitizing Agents To Laromustine., Sam W. Marchant

Honors Theses

Laromustine is an experimental chemotherapeutic sulfonyl hydrazine prodrug shown in clinical trials to be effective against acute myeloid leukemia. The mechanism of action of laromustine involves interstrand crosslinking, via chloroethylation, and enzyme inhibition, caused by carbamoylation. The work described herein aims to investigate whether inhibition of the replication-dependent interstrand crosslink repair Fanconi Anemia pathway further sensitizes cells to laromustine. By measuring metabolic activity immediately after drug exposure, we find laromustine to be equally as cytotoxic towards Fanconi Anemia deficient and wild type cells. However, through clonogenic assays we show Fanconi Anemia mutations sensitize cells to laromustine’s anti-proliferative effect. Furthermore, we …


Investigating The Antitumor Effects Of A Dsrna-Nanoparticle Complex In An In Vitro Ovarian Cancer Model, Aaron Lewis Jan 2021

Investigating The Antitumor Effects Of A Dsrna-Nanoparticle Complex In An In Vitro Ovarian Cancer Model, Aaron Lewis

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

An estimated 1 in 70 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in their lifetime. Despite advanced detection and treatment methods, it remains a silent killer with an expected survival rate of 50%. A developing method in cancer treatment is the use of compounds that stimulate the immune system to aid in the body's fight against the disease. This project focused on the use of the potent immune stimulant double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), commercially available as polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid, poly(I:C), to induce cytotoxicity in two ovarian cancer cell lines; SKOV-3 and OVCAR-3. Some challenges exist with the delivery of dsRNA due to …