Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluating The Microbial Experience Influence On Anti-Tumor Immune Response, Jessica A. Ensing

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

Despite the steady increase of hygienic standards, the CDC continues to report an increase of immune-mediated diseases such as allergies and asthma. Human avoidance of microbial exposure and subsequently less experienced immune systems may be the cause for this increase. We investigated if increased microbial exposure results in increased immunity to cancer (B16 melanoma) by measuring activated lymphocytes between two groups of C57Bl/6 mice: specific pathogen free (SPF) mice (which had little microbial exposure) and cohoused (COH) mice (which were exposed to numerous microbes). Previous research shows that the CoH mouse model mimics a human adult’s immune system, while the …

Modulation Of Ros In Nanosecond-Pulsed Plasma-Activated Media For Dosage-Dependent Cancer Cell Inactivation In Vitro, Chunqi Jiang, Esin Bengisu Sozer, Shutong Song, Nicola Lai, P. Thomas Vernier, Sigi Guo

Bioelectrics Publications

Dosage control of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) is critical to low-temperature plasma applications in cancer therapy. Production of RONS by atmospheric pressure, nonequilibrium plasmas in contact with liquid may be modulated via plasma conditions including plasma treatment time and pulse voltage and repetition frequency. In this study, a terephthalic acid-based probe was used to measure hydroxyl radicals [OH_aq] in water exposed to plasma and to demonstrate that the OH_ag concentration increases linearly with treatment time. Fluorometric measurements of hydrogen peroxide concentration in plasma-activated water show a linear relationship between the H₂O₂ production …

Integrated Multiparametric Radiomics And Informatics System For Characterizing Breast Tumor Characteristics With The Oncotypedx Gene Assay, Michael A. Jacobs, Christopher B. Umbricht, Vishwa S. Parekh, Riham H. El Khouli, Leslie Cope, Katarzyna J. Macura, Susan Harvey, Antonio C. Wolff

Radiology Faculty Publications

Optimal use of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) can identify key MRI parameters and provide unique tissue signatures defining phenotypes of breast cancer. We have developed and implemented a new machine-learning informatic system, termed Informatics Radiomics Integration System (IRIS) that integrates clinical variables, derived from imaging and electronic medical health records (EHR) with multiparametric radiomics (mpRad) for identifying potential risk of local or systemic recurrence in breast cancer patients. We tested the model in patients (n = 80) who had Estrogen Receptor positive disease and underwent OncotypeDX gene testing, radiomic analysis, and breast mpMRI. The IRIS method was trained …

Topological And System‑Level Protein Interaction Network (Pin) Analyses To Deduce Molecular Mechanism Of Curcumin, Anupam Dhasmana, Swati Uniyal, Anukriti -, Vivek Kumar Kashyap, Pallavi Somvanshi, Meenu Gupta, Uma Bhardwaj, Meena Jaggi, Murali M. Yallapu, Shafiul Haque, Subhash C. Chauhan

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Curcumin is an important bioactive component of turmeric and also one of the important natural products, which has been investigated extensively. The precise mode of action of curcumin and its impact on system level protein networks are still not well studied. To identify the curcumin governed regulatory action on protein interaction network (PIN), an interectome was created based on 788 key proteins, extracted from PubMed literatures, and constructed by using STRING and Cytoscape programs. The PIN rewired by curcumin was a scale-free, extremely linked biological system. MCODE plug-in was used for sub-modulization analysis, wherein we identified 25 modules; ClueGo plug-in …

Comparative Molecular Transporter Properties Of Cyclic Peptides Containing Tryptophan And Arginine Residues Formed Through Disulfide Cyclization, Eman H. M. Mohammed, Dindyal Mandal, Saghar Mozaffari, Magdy Abdel-Hamied Zahran, Amany Mostafa Osman, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

We have previously reported cyclic cell-penetrating peptides [WR]₅ and [WR]₄ as molecular transporters. To optimize further the utility of our developed peptides for targeted therapy in cancer cells using the redox condition, we designed a new generation of peptides and evaluated their cytotoxicity as well as uptake behavior against different cancer cell lines. Thus, cyclic [C(WR)_xC] and linear counterparts (C(WR)_xC), where x = 4–5, were synthesized using Fmoc/tBu solid-phase peptide synthesis, purified, and characterized. The compounds did not show any significant cytotoxicity (at 25 µM) against ovarian (SK-OV-3), leukemia (CCRF-CEM), gastric adenocarcinoma (CRL-1739), breast …

Rapamycin Treatment Correlates Changes In Primary Cilia Expression With Cell Cycle Regulation In Epithelial Cells, Maha Jamal, Ane C.F. Nunes, Nosratola D. Vaziri, Ramani Ramchandran, Robert L. Bacallao, Andromeda M. Nauli, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Primary cilia are sensory organelles that regulate cell cycle and signaling pathways. In addition to its association with cancer, dysfunction of primary cilia is responsible for the pathogenesis of polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and other ciliopathies. Because the association between cilia formation or length and cell cycle or division is poorly understood, we here evaluated their correlation in this study. Using Spectral Karyotyping (SKY) technique, we showed that PKD and the cancer/tumorigenic epithelial cells PC3, DU145, and NL20-TA were associated with abnormal ploidy. We also showed that PKD and the cancer epithelia were highly proliferative. Importantly, the cancer epithelial cells …

10th Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium, University Of Texas Md Anderson Cancer Center Postdoctoral Association

Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium Abstracts

The Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium (APSS) was initiated on August 4, 2011, by the MD Anderson Postdoctoral Association to provide a platform for talented postdoctoral fellows throughout the Texas Medical Center to present their work to a wider audience.

APSS is a scientific symposium organized by postdoctoral fellows from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center that welcomes submissions and presentations from postdoctoral fellows from all Texas Medical Center affiliated institutions and other Houston area institutions. The APSS provides a professional venue for postdoctoral scientists to develop, clarify and refine their research as result of formal reviews and critiques …

A Look At Gene Control: Tracking The Ccnd1 Gene, Bryan Anders

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Cancer occurs when the cell does not properly control its own cell cycle. It then replicates in an out of control fashion leading to the death of various organs and then the demise of the organism as a whole. As it seems to have always been a problem for cell-based life, certain safeguards against cancer have been evolved over time. One such method comes in the form of prevention via cyclin proteins, which are encoded from cyclin genes. The gene that is the focus of this research is the CCND1, or cyclin D1, gene that controls the progression through various …