Diseases Commons^™

Characterization Of 1,1-Diarylethylene Foxm1 Inhibitors Against High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma Cells, Cassie Liu

Theses & Dissertations

Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) is a member of the conserved forkhead box (FOX) transcription factor family. Over the last two decades, FOXM1 has emerged as a multifunctional oncoprotein and a robust biomarker of poor prognosis in many human malignancies. FOXM1 and its associated oncogenic transcriptional signature are enriched in >85% of ovarian cancer cases, and FOXM1 expression and activity can be enhanced by a plethora of genomic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational mechanisms. As a master transcriptional regulator, FOXM1 promotes critical oncogenic phenotypes in ovarian cancer, including: (1) cell proliferation, (2) invasion and metastasis, (3) chemotherapy resistance, (4) cancer stem cell …

Frailty And Neurocognition In Prostate Cancer, Lindsey Hanson

Theses & Dissertations

Prostate cancer (PCa) treatment often leads to distressing side effects ranging from muscle loss, physical inactivity, and fatigue to cancer associated cognitive decline (CACD). Evidence suggests that men treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) may have a specifically high risk of CACD, partially due to increased frailty. However, the current literature on cognitive effects of ADT is equivocal. Therefore, the primary objectives of this study were to (1) compare cognitive function, physical activity (PA), and fitness in men receiving ADT, men scheduled to receive radiation, and men under active surveillance for PCa; (2) examine changes in cognitive performance and PA …

Machine Learning Analyses Of Highly-Multiplexed Immunofluorescence Identifies Distinct Tumor And Stromal Cell Populations In Primary Pancreatic Tumors, Krysten Vance, Alphan Alitinok, Seth Winfree, Heather Jensen Smith, Benjamin Swanson Md, Phd, Paul M. Grandgenett, Kelsey Klute, Daniel J Crichton, Michael A. Hollingsworth

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a formidable challenge for patients and clinicians.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the distribution of 31 different markers in tumor and stromal portions of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and identify immune cell populations to better understand how neoplastic, non-malignant structural, and immune cells, diversify the TME and influence PDAC progression.

METHODS: Whole slide imaging (WSI) and cyclic multiplexed-immunofluorescence (MxIF) was used to collect 31 different markers over the course of nine distinctive imaging series of human PDAC samples. Image registration and machine learning algorithms were developed to largely automate an imaging analysis pipeline identifying distinct cell …

Dually Active Polycation/Mirna Nanoparticles For The Treatment Of Fibrosis In Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease, Chuhan Zhang, Yu Hang, Weimin Tang, Diptesh Sil, Heather Jensen Smith, Robert G. Bennett, Benita L. Mcvicker, David Oupicky

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

Alcohol-associated liver disease (AALD) is a major cause of liver disorders worldwide. Current treatment options are limited, especially for AALD-associated fibrosis. Promising approaches include RNA interference for miR-155 overexpression in Kupffer cells (KCs), as well as the use of CXCR4 antagonists that inhibit the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) through the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis. The development of dual-functioning nanoparticles for the effective delivery of antifibrotic RNA together with a CXCR4 inhibitor thus promises to improve the treatment of AALD fibrosis. In this study, cholesterol-modified polymeric CXCR4 inhibitor (Chol-PCX) was synthesized and used to encapsulate anti-miR-155 or non-coding (NC) miRNA in …

Modified Chitosan For Effective Renal Delivery Of Sirna To Treat Acute Kidney Injury., Weimin Tang, Chinmay M. Jogdeo, Sudipta Panja, Siyuan Tang, Ling Ding, Ao Yu, Kirk W. Foster, Del L. Dsouza, Yashpal S. Chhonker, Heather Jensen Smith, Hee-Seong Jang, Erika I. Boesen, Daryl J. Murry, Babu Padanilam, David Oupicky

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by a sudden decrease in renal function and impacts growing number of people worldwide. RNA interference (RNAi) showed potential to treat diseases with no or limited conventional therapies, including AKI. Suitable carriers are needed to protect and selectively deliver RNAi to target cells to fully explore this therapeutic modality. Here, we report on the synthesis of chitosan modified with α-cyclam-p-toluic acid (C-CS) as a novel siRNA carrier for targeted delivery to injured kidneys. We demonstrate that conjugation of the α-cyclam-p-toluic acid to chitosan imparts the C-CS polymer with targeting and antagonistic properties to cells …