Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Significance Of Targeting Rna Polymerase I In Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma, Muhammad A. Bangash, Aun A. Bangash, Haider Ahsan, Sahir Alvi, Mudassier Ahmad, Alejandro Rincon, Samuel Owusu-Mireku, Bilal Hafeez

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) is a much-overlooked cancer with a mortality rate that has increased throughout recent years, as stated by the American Cancer Society [1]. In the United States alone, there are an estimated 8,000 adults being diagnosed with IHCC every year, with a five-year survival rate of 9% [2]. Chemotherapy options for the treatment of IHCC include systemic chemotherapy such as gemcitabine, capecitabine, and oxaliplatin. These medications carry a wide array of adverse factors that may warrant discontinuation due to the detriment to the well-being of the patient. Additionally, a broad field of therapy that may also be used, …

Synthesis And Antitumor Activity Of Brominated-Ormeloxifene (Br-Orm) Against Cervical Cancer, Mohammed Sikander, Shabnam Malik, John Apraku, Sonam Kumari, Parvez Khan, Hassan Mandil, Sheema Khan, Murali M. Yallapu, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chuahan

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Aberrant regulation of β-catenin signaling is strongly linked with cancer proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis, thus, small molecules that can inhibit this pathway might have great clinical significance. Our molecular modeling studies suggest that ormeloxifene (ORM), a triphenylethylene molecule that docks with β-catenin, and its brominated analogue (Br-ORM) bind more effectively with relatively less energy (−7.6 kcal/mol) to the active site of β-catenin as compared to parent ORM. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a Br-ORM by NMR and FTIR, as well as its anticancer activity in cervical cancer models. Br-ORM treatment effectively inhibited tumorigenic features (cell proliferation …

Anticancer Drug Screening Using Invitro Cell Proliferation Assay, Kristopher L. Ezell, Kyle Doxtater, Samantha Lopez, Sophia M. Leslie, Justin Wendel, Kamaldeep Paul, Vijay Lauxmi, Manish Tripathi

Research Colloquium

Introduction: In this presentation cell proliferation methods and how they are related to screening for effective chemotherapy drugs will be reviewed. Cancer in its most basic form is the unchecked mass dividing of cells while normal apoptosis is not undertaken for various reasons, some of which that have yet to be discovered. By these means’ tumors form that inhibit the functions of the organs it is residing in and the effected cells may metastasize and spread throughout the body. For this reason, chemotherapy drugs must be assessed through introduction into working strains of cultured cancer cells that are then screened …

Survival Disparities Between Border And Non-Border Counties In Colorectal Cancer Patients Using The Tcr, Michael Machiorlatti, Michael Brian Lapelusa

Research Colloquium

Along the US Texas Mexico border constant migration, developing medical infrastructure and income disparity leads to poorer access to healthcare and poorer health outcomes. Given 32 of the 254 counties in TX are on the border with roughly 9.8% of the Texas residing in these counties (2.8 million people), this represents a significant population susceptible to adverse health outcomes. We investigate comparisons between border and non-border counties as well as how sociodemographic and diagnostic criterion influence survival of colorectal cancer. Data was obtained from the Texas Department of State Health Service’s TCR. Patients were 18 or older and excluded for …

The Rare Often Violet Sarcoma: A Case Of Kaposi Sarcoma In Hiv/Aids, Rodolfo Singleterry, Khairiya Haj-Yahya, Eddy Valdez

Research Symposium

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a rare malignancy derived from the cells that line lymph and blood vessels. KS is caused by the human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8) and is an AIDS-defining illness that manifests as violaceous skin and mucosal lesions.

The patient is a 37-year-old previously healthy male who presented with a 4-month history of rapid, unintentional weight loss totaling 60lbs. The patient reported having a low WBC count at a free health fair 1 year prior but was uninsured, without access to follow-up care. Additionally, he noted the appearance of several dark purple, raised lesions on his skin about 9 …

The Dual Delivery Of Y15 And Metformin In A Plga Scaffold For The Treatment Of Platinum Resistant Ovarian Cancer, Emily M. Jordan, Hannah Obregon, Arkene Levy, Sue Anne Chew

Research Symposium

Background: Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality among women in the US. High mortality is linked to resistance to platinum compounds. Currently there is no treatment for platinum resistant ovarian cancer (OCpt). Platinum resistance shows increased activity of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Y15 is a FAK inhibitor and increases OCpt sensitivity to chemotherapy. Metformin induces apoptosis, has no increased cytotoxicity, and works synergistically with Y15 in OCpt cells. Biomaterial scaffolds deliver drugs locally, maximizing drug concentration and bioavailability while minimizing systemic toxicity. PLGA copolymer has excellent biocompatibility, versatility, and a tailorable degradation rate. The objective of …

Stress Induced Lncrna Malat1 In Colorectal Cancer Health Disparity, Justin L. Wendel, Kyle Doxtater, Kristopher L. Ezell, Samantha Lopez, Adithya Anilkumar, Sophia Leslie, Vijian Dhevan, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan, Manish Tripathi

Research Symposium

Background: Health disparities in the lower Rio Grande Valley are well documented and can play a critical role in cancer prognosis. Chronic stress, arguably exacerbated by these disparities, can also lead to a poor outcome after diagnosis through dysregulation of molecular markers known to be involved in cancer progression, resistance, and recurrence. lncRNA have been a relatively recent point of interest in the field of cancer research and play a role in cancer initiation and progression across tissue types. We have found that lncRNA MALAT1 is stress induced through transcription factor NFATc1. Here, we propose to investigate the association of …

Precise Method To Identify Kinase Drug Targets In Complex Diseases: The First Step Towards Sustainable And Effective Treatment, Hasbanny Irisson, Marzieh Ayati

Research Symposium

Background: Kinases are enzymes that have proven to be important drug targets due to their role in critical biological mechanisms such as phosphorylation. Phosphorylation happens when a kinase catalyzes the transfer of a phosphate group to a protein in a phosphorylated site, which then becomes known as the substrate of the kinase. Any dysregulation of protein phosphorylation causes a wide range of complex diseases including cancer. Thus, discovering the links between kinases and their substrates (i.e. predicting kinase-substrate associations (KSAs)) is crucial in developing effective and sustainable treatments. Presently, less than 5% of phosphorylated sites have an associated kinase, and …

The Dysphagia Causing Cancer: A Case Of Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Rodolfo Singleterry, Khairiya Haj-Yahya, Ayman Khaddam, Karina Torres

Research Symposium

Introduction: Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC) occur in approximately 123,000 cases of oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis worldwide and with about 79,000 deaths yearly. OPSCC stems from the soft palate, pharyngeal wall, tonsils, vallecula, and base of the tongue. Patients with metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer have a generally poor prognosis noting a median survival of 6 to 15 months. Treatment with systemic therapy is used for most patients and is dependent on their clinical factors, comorbidities, previous treatments, and pathologic features.

Case Presentation: The patient is a 52-year-old male with a past medical history of liver cirrhosis, hepatitis C, …

Ligand-Based Virtual Screening Of Sulfonamide Analogues For The Discovery Of New Carbonic Anhydrase Ii/Ix Inhibitors For Cancer Therapy, Edilsa Valenzuela

Research Symposium

Background: Carbonic anhydrase (CA) II and IX are overexpressed in numerous tumors associated with the hypoxic phenotype and have been involved in poor prognosis and cancer progression, which characterizes them as an attractive therapeutic target. The purpose of this study was to identify sulfonamide analogues as CA inhibitors based on affinity and interactions of molecular docking.

Methods: Through structure and similarity-based virtual screening and applying filters involving a preselection based on functional group, Lipinski's rule of five, mutagenic and tumorigenic characteristics, the best candidates were docked into the isoenzymes. Known reference ligands were used to determine affinity regions favorable for …

Identification And Characterization Of Anticancer Potential Of A Novel Small Molecule, Mortaparibmild, Hazna Noor Meidinna, Anissa Nofita Sari, Sunil C. Kaul, Renu Wadhwa

Research Symposium

Background: The development of new anticancer drugs and treatment modalities form a priority research field. The tumor suppressor protein p53 is frequently mutated or functionally inactivated in a large variety of cancers. Its inactivation by mortalin, a member of the heat shock 70 protein family, has been shown to contribute to carcinogenesis. The small molecule inhibitors of mortalin-p53 interactions have been shown to reactivate p53 yielding apoptosis/growth arrest in cancer cells. Therefore, abrogators of mortalin-p53 interaction have emerged as possible new therapeutic anticancer reagents.

Methods: We performed chemical library screening based on the imaging of mortalin-p53 interaction, leading to the …

Characterization Of Oral Cavity And Oropharyngeal Cancer In The Texas Rio Grande Valley, Jared A. Sperling, Rachel Giese

Research Symposium

Background: Cancers of the oral cavity (OC) and oropharynx (OP) account for 3% of cancers diagnosed in the United States each year. A primary cause of death among the Hispanic population in the United States is cancer, accounting for 20% of annual mortality. The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) is a medically-underserved area of South Texas with a large Hispanic population facing health disparities. In this study, we examine the incidence and mortality of OC and OP cancer in the RGV.

Methods: CDC population-level incidence and mortality rate per 100,000 of OC/OP cancer among patients in the RGV counties of Hidalgo …

Characterization Of Epithelial Growth Factor Transcripts Identified In Crotalus Atrox Venom, Ivan Lopez, Ying Jia

Research Symposium

Epithelial Growth Factor (EGF) is the primary source in regeneration and stimulation of essential fibroblasts cells commonly found in epithelium. Studies have shown that snake venom components are becoming a growing factor in treating illnesses such as cancer, muscular dystrophy, chronic pain, blood pressure, blood clotting, etc. EGF in human cells contains a promising quaternary structure that can bind to snake venom metalloproteinases, proposing a means of activating biochemical responses through protein-protein interactions to regulate unwanted cellular functions. This supports promising research in achieving a greater understanding of regulation along cellular pathways through ligands, increasing the likelihood of targeting unwanted …

Mortaparibplus- A Novel Anticancer Small Molecule Abrogating Mortalin-P53 Interaction In Cancer Cells, Anissa N. Sari, Ahmed Elwakeel, Jaspreet K. Dhanjal, Vipul Kumar, Durai Sundar, Sunil C. Kaul, Renu Wadhwa

Research Symposium

Background. The cessation of tumor cell growth through cell cycle arrest and apoptosis is determined by p53, a tumor suppressor protein. However, the interaction between mortalin-p53 within cytoplasm/nucleus leads to the inactivation of p53 transcriptional activation function. The disruption of mortalin-p53 complex has been suggested as an approach for developing a potential anticancer drug.

Methods. A screening of a high-content chemical library was performed to determine a molecule with mortalin-p53-interaction disrupting characteristics. After four-rounds of visual assays, we discovered a triazole derivative (4-[(1E)-2-(2-phenylindol-3-yl)-1-azavinyl]-1,2,4-triazole, named Mortaparib^Plus) with a potential ability of disrupting mortalin-p53-complex. In this study, we recruited …

An Ngqd Based Diagnostic Tool For Pancreatic Cancer, Ryan Ketan Ajgaonkar, Bong Lee, Alina Valimukhametova, Anton Naumov, Giridhar Akkaraju

Research Symposium

Background: Pancreatic cancer remains difficult to detect at early stages which contributes to a poor five-yearsurvival rate. Therefore, early detection approaches based on novel technologies should be explored to address this critical health issue. Nanomaterials have recently emerged as frontrunners for diagnostic applications due to their small size in the 1-100 nm range, which facilitates one-on-one interactions with a variety of biomolecules like oligonucleotides and makes them suitable for a plethora of detection and delivery applications. In this work, the presence of specific pancreatic cancer miRNA (pre-miR-132) is detected utilizing the fluorescence properties of highly biocompatible nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots …

Anti-Cancer Effect Of Cissus Quadrangularis On Human Glioblastoma Cells, Benxu Cheng, Yunlin Wei, Lili Guerra, Rozena Shirvani-Arani, Santiago Balderas, Laura Valdez, Andrew Tsin, Xiaoqian Fang

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Objectives

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a common and fatal brain tumour in the central nervous system with a poor survival rate and a median survival time of 15 months only. The standard treatment is aggressive surgical resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, effective drugs available in chemotherapy are limited. This study was designed to evaluate, for the first time, the potential therapeutic effect of Cissus quadrangularis (CQ) in human glioblastoma cells and to investigate its possible mechanisms of action. Methods

In this study, we examined the anticancer activity of CQ in human glioblastoma U87 MG cells by cell viability …