Digestive, Oral, and Skin Physiology Commons^™

Development Of Solitary Keratoacanthoma From A Cutaneous Wart, Joshua M. Ninan, Veronica Salazar

Research Symposium

Background: Common cutaneous warts, referred to in medicine as verrucae vulgaris, are proliferative lesions caused by human papillomavirus. These lesions are mostly benign and usually resolve without incident, except in the case of the patient mentioned in this report. Our patient developed a solitary keratoacanthoma, currently accepted as a clinical variant of squamous cell carcinoma, as a result of several risk factors and traumatic exposure. The current literature does not have an established association of HPV with solitary keratoacanthomas. This case report explores the presentation and pathogenesis of solitary keratoacanthomas within the setting of HPV.

Case Presentation: 48-year-old Caucasian female …

Examining Ndufab1 Expression In Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Addison Stevens

Poster Presentations

Honors research poster.

Introduction: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is approximately 4% of all cancers and 2% of all cancer associated mortality in the United States. In 2023, there will be an estimated 67,000 new cases of HNSCC, along with 15,400 deaths, in the United States. HNSCC locations include the oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. Major risk factors for HNSCC include tobacco use, alcohol use, and human papilloma virus (HPV). Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is currently the only approved molecular targeted therapy for HNSCC. Therefore, new therapeutics and biomarkers for HNSCC are warranted. Mitochondria are …

Examining Ndufab1 Expression In Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Addison L. Stevens

Honors Theses

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) accounts for around 4% of all cancers in the USA. HNSCC includes cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. Reprogramming of mitochondrial metabolism has been known to promote oncogenesis. NDUFAB1, a nuclear encoded subunit of respiratory complex I (RCI) in the inner mitochondrial membrane, is abundantly expressed at the mRNA level in HNSCC patients. Based on this finding, we hypothesize that NDUFAB1 protein expression is high in HNSCC and that NDUFAB1 expression predicts a poor prognosis in HNSCC patients. We determined NDUFAB1 expression in HNSCC using immunohistochemistry and pathology guided …

The Role Of The Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 2 In Pancreatic Cancer: Mechanisms Of Tumor Immunosuppression And Intestinal Radioprotection, Carolina Garcia Garcia

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease with dismal prognosis. The only curative option for patients is surgery, but over 80% of patients are not surgical candidates. Unfortunately, PDAC is resistant to the three remaining options. PDAC is characterized by a profoundly hypoxic and immunosuppressive stroma, which contributes to its therapeutic recalcitrance. Alpha-smooth muscle actin+ (αSMA+) cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the most abundant stromal component, as well as mediators of stromal deposition. The hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF1 and HIF2) coordinate responses to hypoxia, yet, despite their known association to poor patient outcomes, their functions within the PDAC tumor microenvironment (TME) …

The Substrate Of The Biopsychosocial Influences In The Carcinogenesis Of The Digestive Tract, Georgică C. Târtea, Cristina Florescu, Daniel Pirici, Daniel Caragea, Elena A. Târtea, Cristin C. Vere

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Digestive cancer represents a severe public health problem, being one of the main causes of death. It is considered a multifactorial disease, with hereditary predisposition, environmental factors, and other factors involved in carcinogenesis. Both the evolution and the pathogenesis of digestive neoplasms remain incompletely elucidated. As a multifactorial disease, it can be approached by taking into account the biopsychosocial influences via enteric nervous system. Many peptides and non-peptides having a neurotransmitter role can be found in the enteric nervous system, which can influence the neoplastic process directly or indirectly by affecting some angiogenic, growth, and metastasis factors. However, neurotransmitters can …

Regulation Of Uv-Protective Pathways Downstream Of The Melanocortin 1 Receptor In Melanocytes, Erin M. Wolf Horrell

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Malignant cutaneous melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and a majority of melanoma diagnoses are a result of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV radiation causes DNA damage, which if not repaired correctly via nucleotide excision repair (NER) can result in mutations and melanomagenesis. The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is a G_s protein coupled receptor located on melanocyte plasma membranes and is involved in protecting the skin from UV induced damage. MC1R signaling results in the activation of two protective pathways: 1) induction of eumelanin synthesis downstream of micropthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and 2) acceleration of NER …

Role Of Prostaglandin E2 In The Regulation Of Pancreatic Stellate Cells Hyper Activity Associated With Pancreatic Cancer, Chantale Charo

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal type of cancer due to its high metastasis rate and resistance to chemotherapy. Pancreatic fibrosis is a constant pathological feature of chronic pancreatitis and the hyperactive stroma associated with pancreatic cancer. Strong evidence supports an important role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and COX-2 generated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) during pancreatic fibrosis. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) are the predominant source of extracellular matrix production (ECM), thus being the key players in both diseases. Given this background, the primary objective is to delineate the role of PGE2 on human pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) hyper activation associated …