Thesis (M.S. in Cancer Biology)--Vanderbilt University, Aug. 2007. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Σκοπός της παρούσης εργασίας είναι η στατιστική ανάλυση της σχέσης δομής-δράσης των χημικών ενώσεων που παράγονται από οξινδόλια και πουρίνες πάνω στα σύμπλοκα CDKs/Cyclins και η εξαγωγή συμπερασμάτων πάνω στις σχέσεις αυτές. Για το σκοπό αυτό ανατρέξαμε στην διεθνή βιβλιογραφία για να συλλέξουμε όσες πληροφορίες έχουν δημοσιευτεί έως τώρα για τις δύο αυτές ομάδες ενώσεων. Έπειτα μέσω ειδικών προγραμμάτων έγινε η επεξεργασία τους και η ανάλυση τους. Σκοπός είναι να συσχετίσουμε τη δομή των ενώσεων αυτών με τη δράση και τη βιολογική τους απόκριση πάνω στα σύμπλοκα των CDKs με τις κυκλίνες. / -

Lic.-avh. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2006. / Härtill 3 uppsatser.

Cul3 forms E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes that regulate a variety of cellular processes. This dissertation describes Cul3's role in several of these pathways and provides new mechanistic details regarding the role of Cul3 in eukaryotic cells. Cyclin E is an example of a protein that is regulated in a Cul3-dependent manner. Cyclin E is a cell cycle regulator that controls the beginning of DNA replication in mammalian cells. Increased levels of cyclin E are found in some cancers, in addition, proteolytic removal of the cyclin E N-terminus occurs in some cancers and is associated with tumorigenesis. Cyclin E levels are tightly regulated and controlled in part through ubiquitin-mediated degradation initiated by one of two E3 ligase complexes, Cul1 and Cul3. Cul1 mediated degradation of cyclin E is triggered by cyclin E phosphorylation, however the mechanism Cul3 uses to ubiquitinate cyclin E is poorly understood. In order to gain a better understanding of how Cul3 mediates cyclin E destruction we identified the degron on cyclin E that is important in Cul3 dependent degradation. In addition, we show this degron is lacking in LMW cyclin E (found in abundance in breast cancer), providing a novel mechanism for how these cyclin E modifications result in increased cyclin E levels by avoiding the Cul3 degradation pathway.

The aim of this thesis was to investigate different aspects of male breast cancer (MBC), and to compare these with findings in female breast cancer (FBC). In paper I, a population–based study was performed to investigate possible differences in treatment and outcome between MBC and FBC patients. MBC and FBC presented with a similar distribution of stage. Although no differences in primary treatment strategy were demonstrated, MBC patients had significantly poorer overall and relative survival, indicating a more aggressive disease. Paper II aimed to assess the value of clinicopathological factors and molecular subtypes in MBC. One hundred and ninety-seven MBC tumors were characterized using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and the findings were correlated to outcome. Lymph node positivity, larger tumor size and ER-negativity were independent risk factors for breast cancer death. Tumor grade, HER2, Ki 67 or IHC classification into molecular subtypes did not demonstrate any prognostic information. In paper III, the same patient material as in paper II was used for evaluation of proliferation markers. High levels of cyclin A and cyclin B expression and an elevated mitotic count were predictive of breast cancer death. Ki-67 was re-evaluated using different cut-offs, but no prognostic value could be demonstrated. Contrarily, overexpression of cyclin D1 was associated with a lower risk of breast cancer death. In papers IV-V, the molecular background of MBC tumors was investigated.  Global GEX analyses were performed and two novel subgroups of MBC tumors were identified; luminal M1 and luminal M2. When comparing the degree of similarity with the “intrinsic” subtypes in FBC tumors, more than half of the MBC tumors remained unclassified.  Comparative genomic hybridization was used to investigate DNA aberrations. Two MBC subgroups were identified, of which one did not resemble any of the female subgroups. In both studies on the molecular level, a majority of patients were classified into the subgroup with a more aggressive tumor behavior. In conclusion, MBC seems to be a unique tumor entity. The established molecular subtypes in FBC are not applicable in MBC. Other prognostic profiles, specific for MBC, need to be identified.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-153).

published_or_final_version / Anatomy / Master / Master of Philosophy

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Biology

Dilantin (DPH) is a common anticonvulsant drug used to prevent seizures. It is known to be a human teratogen causing fetal hydantoin syndrome (FHS). FHS is characterized by multiple developmental and growth related abnormalities and mental retardation. Previous studies demonstrated that DPH slowed growth and division in preimplantation mouse embryos in vivo and in vitro. DHP exposure in utero decreased the crown to rump length and weight of 25-35% of embryos and reduced the rate of endochondral bone conversion from cartilage. In vitro preimplantation mouse embryos treated with DPH at 5, 10 and 20 μg/ml showed a reduction of 25-35% in their development, and block at 2-cell or 3-4-cell stages. These embryos also showed a prolonged DNA synthesis (S) phase during the second cell cycle. Nuclear localization and concentration levels of cyclin A , the S phase cyclin, were also altered in vivo in 2-cell DPH treated embryos compared with NaOH control embryos during G1, S phase and G2 of the first, second and third cell cycles. DPH altered patterns of expression of cyclin A were associated with cell cycle disregulation during preimplantation development. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether DPH also affects the concentration of DNA pol δ catalytic subunit in 2-cell preimplantation mouse embryos at G1 and S phases, thus delaying DNA synthesis and contributing to FHS. Immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy were used as tools to determine relative levels and distribution of DNA pol δ (for consistency with text) in the cytoplasm and the nuclei of DPH and NaOH treated 2-cell embryos at G1 and S phase of the second cell cycle. DPH decreased DNA pol δdelta total embryo and nuclear levels by 43% and 36%, respectively, in G1 compared with NaOH controls. Similarly, nuclear levels of DNA pol δ in DPH embryos in S phase near the G2 transition of the second cell cycle increased to 144% of NaOH control levels; there was not a statistically significant difference between total embryonic levels of late S phase DNA pol δ in DPH and NaOH treated control embryos. The results indicated that DPH affects the levels of DNA pol δduring G1 and S phase near the G2 transition of the second cell cycle in preimplantation mouse embryos. The significant alteration in the levels of DNA pol δ during S phase and its probable consequent altered polymerase activity could contribute to an explanation for the extension of S phase in preimplantation embryos observed by Blosser and Chatot. Even more, the alteration in the levels of DNA pol δ and potentially in its exonuclease activity could lead to an increase in the rate of mismatches and mutations suggesting a likely explanation for some features of FHS. / Department of Biology

Cyclin B1 is a cell cycle protein typically associated with the regulation of cellular division (mitosis). Previous studies in this laboratory involving preimplantation mouse embryos found that cyclin B1, or a cyclin B 1-related protein, were present at both G1 and G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Not only was cyclin Bi detected during G1 phase in this study, it was found to be present in higher concentrations at G1 phase through the first three cell cycles. These findings were unexpected, because most of the literature suggests that cyclin B1 is normally degraded during G1 phase. Using immunoprecipitation and immunoblot techniques, a more detailed study of cyclin B1 expression was inititated. Using two different primary antibodies direct against cyclin B1, a 48.97 kDa protein band, which is believed to be cyclin B1, was detected at both G1 and G2/M phases in 1-cell mouse embryos. Using another antibody directed against Cdk1, the kinase that forms a complex with cyclin B1 in order to direct the G2/M transition, a 37 kDa protein band was also detected at both G1 and G2/M phases in 1-cell mouse embryos. In order to determine whether cyclin B1 was present as a complex with Cdk1, immunoblotting with the anti-Cdk1 antibody. Again, a 37kDa protein band was detected at both G1 and G2/M phases. Finally, in order to determine whether the cyclin B1/Cdk1 complex exists in its active form, histone kinase assays were performed using anti-cyclin B1 immunoprecipitates. Kinase activity was detected in immunoprecipitates collected from G2/M phase 1-cell embryos, but no kinase activity was detected from immunoprecipitates collected from G1 phase 1-cell embryos. These data indicate that cyclin B1 and Cdk1 are present and exist as a complex in both G1 and G2/M phases of 1-cell mouse embryos, although the complex only appears to be active at the G2/M phase. / Department of Biology