SRC Increases mRNA Expression in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer via mRNA Stabilization and Inhibition of p53 Function.

The transcription factor gene is important in breast cancer, and its mRNA is maintained at a high level even in the absence of gene amplification. The mechanism(s) underlying increased mRNA expression is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that mRNA was stabilized upon estrogen stimulation of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells via SRC-dependent effects on a recently described RNA-binding protein, IMP1 with an N-terminal deletion (ΔN-IMP1).

Perceived Challenges in Primary Literature in a Master's Class: Effects of Experience and Instruction.

Primary literature offers rich opportunities to teach students how to "think like a scientist," but the challenges students face when they attempt to read research articles are not well understood. Here, we present an analysis of what master's students perceive as the most challenging aspects of engaging with primary literature. We examined 69 pairs of pre- and postcourse responses from students enrolled in a master's-level course that offered a structured analysis of primary literature.

The role of Tks adaptor proteins in invadopodia formation, growth and metastasis of melanoma.

Metastatic cancer cells are characterized by their ability to degrade and invade through extracellular matrix. We previously showed that the Tks adaptor proteins, Tks4 and Tks5, are required for invadopodia formation and/or function in Src-transformed fibroblasts and a number of human cancer cell types. In this study, we investigated the role of Tks adaptor proteins in melanoma cell invasion and metastasis.

Critical Analysis of Primary Literature in a Master's-Level Class: Effects on Self-Efficacy and Science-Process Skills.

The ability to think analytically and creatively is crucial for success in the modern workforce, particularly for graduate students, who often aim to become physicians or researchers. Analysis of the primary literature provides an excellent opportunity to practice these skills. We describe a course that includes a structured analysis of four research papers from diverse fields of biology and group exercises in proposing experiments that would follow up on these papers.

The invadopodia scaffold protein Tks5 is required for the growth of human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

The ability of cancer cells to invade underlies metastatic progression. One mechanism by which cancer cells can become invasive is through the formation of structures called invadopodia, which are dynamic, actin-rich membrane protrusions that are sites of focal extracellular matrix degradation. While there is a growing consensus that invadopodia are instrumental in tumor metastasis, less is known about whether they are involved in tumor growth, particularly in vivo.

Expression analysis and molecular targeting of cyclin-dependent kinases in advanced melanoma.

A major focus of melanoma research continues to be the search for genes/proteins that may be suitable targets for molecular therapy of primary and metastatic melanoma. In line with this effort, the objective of the study presented herein was to determine whether interfering with cell cycle progression and in particular, the expression and function of select cyclin-dependent kinases, would impair the biological features of advanced melanoma. We provide data, which document that unlike nevi and melanoma in situ, primary and metastatic melanomas express high levels of CDK2, CDK1, and CDK5.