Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

Investigating The Runx1-Cbfβ Transcription Factor Complex As A Mitotic Gene Bookmark To Maintain The Normal Mammary Epithelial Phenotype, Eliana Moskovitz

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Disruption of normal mammary epithelial cell homeostasis through acquisition of

deleterious somatic and/or germline mutations leads to breast cancer development. Breast

cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, and is

associated with the second highest amount of cancer-related deaths. Breast cancer

mortality rates are decreasing, likely through increased methods of detection and

development of targeted therapies. However, due to the complexity and heterogeneity of

the disease, the incidence rate remains high and the molecular events that lead to breast

cancer initiation and progression are poorly understood.

The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential molecular process

involved in …

Maintenance Of Mammary Epithelial Phenotype By Transcription Factor Runx1 Through Mitotic Gene Bookmarking, Joshua Rose

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Breast cancer arises from a series of acquired mutations that disrupt normal mammary epithelial homeostasis and create multi-potent cancer stem cells that can differentiate into clinically distinct breast cancer subtypes. Despite improved therapies and advances in early detection, breast cancer remains the leading diagnosed cancer in women.

A predominant mechanism initiating invasion and migration for a variety of cancers including breast, is epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT— a trans-differentiation process through which mammary epithelial cells acquire a more aggressive mesenchymal phenotype—is a regulated process during early mammary gland development and involves many transcription factors involved in cell lineage commitment, proliferation, and …

Evidence For The Involvement Of Runx1 And Runx2 In Maintenance Of The Breast Cancer Stem Cell Phenotype, Mark Fitzgerald

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

In the United States, metastatic breast cancer kills approximately 40,000 women and 400 men annually, and approximately 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year. Worldwide, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Despite advances in the detection and treatment of metastatic breast cancer, mortality rates from this disease remain high because the fact is that once metastatic, it is virtually incurable. It is widely accepted that a major reason breast cancer continues to exhibit recurrence after remission is that current therapies are insufficient for targeting and eliminating therapy-resistant cancer cells. Emerging research has …