Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

Multi-Omics Analysis Of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Metastasis, Mallory I. Frederick

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a high-risk cancer with heterogeneous tumors. The high incidence of EOC metastasis from primary tumors to nearby tissues and organs is a major driver of EOC lethality. The phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT1) pathway regulates cell survival and is over-activated in most human cancers, including EOC. Growth factor stimulation activates AKT1 by phosphorylation at T308 and S473. In my cell-based metastasis model, adherent cells model primary tumors, spheroids represent metastatic spread, and re-adherent spheroid cells represent secondary tumors. In spheroids, I show reduced S473 and T308 phosphorylation of AKT, along with significantly increased levels of …

Selective Activation Of Thrombin Activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor (Tafi) Attenuates Metastatic And Angiogenic Capabilities Of Melanoma And Lung Carcinoma In Vitro, Jacklyn Krizsan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Metastasis and angiogenesis are hallmarks of aggressive cancers, both depending on degradation of extracellular matrix by proteases such as plasmin. Plasmin activation is inhibited by thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI)-mediated cleavage of terminal lysine residues on plasminogen receptors. Activation of TAFI is most effectively done in complex with thrombomodulin (TM). TM is known to have anti-cancer properties, but it is not known if this is due to TAFI activation or an alternative substrate protein C (PC). We hypothesize that specific promotion of TAFI activation with TM treatment will attenuate metastatic and angiogenic capabilities of tumour cells.

Melanoma and lung carcinoma cells …

Imaging Breast Cancer Progression And Lymph Node Metastases In Murine Models Using Mri And Magnetic Nanoparticles, Vasiliki Economopoulos

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Most breast cancer related deaths are caused by the spread or metastasis of the primary tumor to distant sites in the body. The lymph nodes are one of the first places where metastases can be detected and are frequently examined for macroscopic metastases to help determine course of treatment for patients. However, little is known about the significance of microscopic metastases and disseminated individual cancer cells within the nodes. The goal of this work was to use MRI to monitor the development of primary tumors and lymphatic metastases in models of breast cancer.

In this thesis, we examined the MRI …