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Full-Text Articles in Medical Molecular Biology
Molecular Mechanisms Of Prdm16 As A Tumor Suppressor In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Eric Hurwitz
Molecular Mechanisms Of Prdm16 As A Tumor Suppressor In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Eric Hurwitz
Theses and Dissertations
The transcription factor Prdm16 functions as a potent suppressor of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-b) signaling, whose inactivation is deemed essential to the progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Using the KrasG12D-based mouse model of human PDAC, we surprisingly found that ablating Prdm16 did not block but instead accelerated PDAC formation and progression, suggesting that Prdm16 might function as a tumor suppressor in this malignancy. Subsequent genetic experiments showed that ablating Prdm16 along with Smad4 resulted in a shift from a well-differentiated and confined neoplasm to a highly aggressive and metastatic disease, which was associated with a striking deviation …
Applying Mci-062, A Novel Pan-Ras Inhibitor, To Treat Kras-Mutant Lung Cancer, Richard Fu
Applying Mci-062, A Novel Pan-Ras Inhibitor, To Treat Kras-Mutant Lung Cancer, Richard Fu
Honors Theses
RAS is a prevalent oncogene that is mutated in 27% of human cancers. Gain-of-function RAS mutations activate multiple downstream pathways, including the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways, which are critical in tumorigenesis and cancer cell proliferation. RAS proteins such as KRAS, a member of the RAS protein family, and their downstream effectors are attractive targets for cancer therapy since their mutations act as frequent drivers in lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. However, RAS proteins have relatively smooth surfaces that lack traditional binding pockets, making inhibitors specific to RAS difficult to create. Recently, a novel small molecule pan-RAS inhibitor named MCI-062 was …