Publications by authors named "C A Zahnow"
High genetic risk and alcohol consumption ≥1 drink/day are associated with increased breast cancer risk. However, the interaction between alcohol and genetics on breast cancer risk is poorly understood, including in populations not enriched with daily drinkers. We prospectively studied 5651 White and Black postmenopausal women in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancers of the same tissue-type but in anatomically distinct locations exhibit different molecular dependencies for tumorigenesis. Proximal and distal colon cancers exemplify such characteristics, with BRAF predominantly occurring in proximal colon cancers along with increased DNA methylation phenotype. Using mouse colon organoids, here we show that proximal and distal colon stem cells have distinct transcriptional programs that regulate stemness and differentiation.
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- NUT carcinoma is an aggressive cancer driven by the BRD4-NUT fusion oncoprotein, but treatments using BET bromodomain inhibitors (BETi) alone have limited effectiveness.
- The study shows that inhibiting EZH2, a protein that silences tumor suppressor genes, with a drug called tazemetostat, effectively blocks the growth of NUT carcinoma cells.
- Combining EZH2 and BET inhibitors leads to stronger anti-cancer effects, blocking tumor growth and prolonging survival in models, highlighting a new strategy for treating NUT carcinoma based on targeting epigenetic regulation.
Article Synopsis
- - NUT carcinoma (NC) is a fast-growing cancer driven by the BRD4-NUT fusion protein, which promotes growth by activating genes; while BET bromodomain inhibitors are a potential treatment, they work better when combined with other therapies.
- - EZH2, a gene silencing enzyme, is essential for NC growth, and its inhibition using tazemetostat significantly reduces NC cell proliferation and restores tumor suppressor gene expression without affecting certain oncogenes.
- - Combining EZH2 inhibitors with BET inhibitors enhances the effectiveness of treatment, leading to greater tumor suppression and longer survival in animal models, with some mice even showing complete remission.
To catalyze severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) research, including development of novel interventive and preventive strategies, the progression of disease was characterized in a robust coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) animal model. In this model, male and female golden Syrian hamsters were inoculated intranasally with SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020. Groups of inoculated and mock-inoculated uninfected control animals were euthanized at 2, 4, 7, 14, and 28 days after inoculation to track multiple clinical, pathology, virology, and immunology outcomes.
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