Effects of KDM1A Inhibition on Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Cells
Conference Year
January 2021
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid cancer is one of the most aggressive and fastest growing types of cancer with an average survival rate of 6 months. Surgery and chemoradiotherapy can only prolong the patient’s life by a couple of months, thus novel molecular targeted therapies are being developed. Altered epigenetic signaling is a staple of aggressive cancers like ATC. Abnormal regulation of chromatin modifying enzymes, including histone demethylases, such as KDM1A, have shown to accelerate endocrine-related cancer progression through increased proliferation and migration of the cancer cells. KDM1A is a lysine demethylase that may aid in the regulation of thyroid hormone receptor beta mediated genes. KDM1A expression has been studied in a variety of cancers in which it has demonstrated to promote proliferation and migration of the cancer cells. Therefore, a better understanding of the function of KDM1A is needed to explore this enzyme as a therapeutic target in thyroid cancer. We hypothesize that high KDM1A expression in thyroid cancer cells promotes proliferation and migration. Investigation into the impact of KDM1A on the phenotypic characteristics of thyroid cancer will allow us to assess this pharmacological agent’s value as a treatment therapy for ATC.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Frances Carr
Graduate Student Mentors
Noelle Gillis
Faculty/Staff Collaborators
Dr. Frances Carr (Faculty Mentor), Noelle Gillis (Graduate Student Mentor)
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Program/Major
Molecular Genetics
Primary Research Category
Biological Sciences
Effects of KDM1A Inhibition on Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Cells
Anaplastic thyroid cancer is one of the most aggressive and fastest growing types of cancer with an average survival rate of 6 months. Surgery and chemoradiotherapy can only prolong the patient’s life by a couple of months, thus novel molecular targeted therapies are being developed. Altered epigenetic signaling is a staple of aggressive cancers like ATC. Abnormal regulation of chromatin modifying enzymes, including histone demethylases, such as KDM1A, have shown to accelerate endocrine-related cancer progression through increased proliferation and migration of the cancer cells. KDM1A is a lysine demethylase that may aid in the regulation of thyroid hormone receptor beta mediated genes. KDM1A expression has been studied in a variety of cancers in which it has demonstrated to promote proliferation and migration of the cancer cells. Therefore, a better understanding of the function of KDM1A is needed to explore this enzyme as a therapeutic target in thyroid cancer. We hypothesize that high KDM1A expression in thyroid cancer cells promotes proliferation and migration. Investigation into the impact of KDM1A on the phenotypic characteristics of thyroid cancer will allow us to assess this pharmacological agent’s value as a treatment therapy for ATC.