Publications by authors named "Irem Akar"

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disease that affects the development and growth of various tissues. NF1 is a major risk factor for the development of malignancies, particularly malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, optic gliomas, and leukemia. NF1 encodes a neurofibromin.

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Polymers that exhibit a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) have been of great interest for various biological applications such as drug or gene delivery, controlled release systems, and biosensing. Tuning the LCST behavior through control over polymer composition (e.g.

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The seemingly simple notion of the hydrophobic effect can be viewed from multiple angles involving theory, simulation, and experiments. This viewpoint examines five attributes of predictive models to enhance synthetic efforts as well as experimental methods to quantify hydrophobicity. In addition, we compare existing predictive models against experimental data for polymer surface tension, lower critical solution temperature, solution self-assembly morphology, and degradation behavior.

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Thermoresponsive copolymers that exhibit a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) have been exploited to prepare stimuli-responsive materials for a broad range of applications. It is well understood that the LCST of such copolymers can be controlled by tuning molecular weight or through copolymerization of two known thermoresponsive monomers. However, no general methodology has been established to relate polymer properties to their temperature response in solution.

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Background Aims: TNFR family member glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor-related receptor (GITR/TNFRSF18) activation by its ligand glucocorticoid-induced TNF-related receptor ligand (GITRL) have important roles in proliferation, death and differentiation of cells. Some types of small cell lung cancers (SCLCs) express GITR. Because mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) may target tumor cells, we aimed to investigate the effect of MSCs carrying GITRL overexpressing plasmid on the proliferation and viability of a GITR SCLC cell line (SCLC-21H) compared with a GITR SCLC cell line (NCI-H82).

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Adenomyosis that is a form of endometriosis is the growth of ectopic endometrial tissue within the muscular wall of the uterus (myometrium), which may cause dysmenorrhea and infertility. Endocannabinoid mediated apoptotic mechanisms of endometriosis and adenomyosis are not known. We hypothesized that the down regulation of endocannabinoid receptors and/or alteration in their regulatory enzymes may have a direct role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and adenomyosis through apoptosis.

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CD20 antigen expression in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is at significantly lower levels than in non-Hodgkins lymphoma, which may affect the degree of anti-CD20 antibody binding. Low density of CD20 expression on malignant cells may explain the lower response rates to anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, observed in B-CLL. Upregulating the antigen receptor intensity on tumor cells may enhance the response rates.

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