Val16A SOD2 Polymorphism Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Antagonized by Muscadine Grape Skin Extract in Prostate Cancer Cells.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a key event in cancer metastasis, allows polarized epithelial cells to assume mesenchymal morphologies, enhancing invasiveness and migration, and can be induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Val16A (Ala) SOD2 polymorphism has been associated with increased prostate cancer (PCa) risk. We hypothesized that SOD2 Ala single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) may promote EMT.

A pilot study of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) dynamics in men undergoing treatment for advanced prostate cancer.

Background: Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a rational target for noninvasive detection of recurrent prostate cancer (PCa) and for therapy of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with PSMA-targeted agents. Here we conducted serial measurements of PSMA expression on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to evaluate patterns of longitudinal PSMA dynamics over the course of multiple sequential therapies.

Methods: A retrospective investigation of men with mCRPC undergoing evaluation at medical oncology clinics at our institution assessed the dynamics of PSMA expression in the context of different systemic treatments administered sequentially.

Validation Strategy for Ultrasensitive Mutation Detection.

Background: Ultrasensitive detection of low-abundance DNA point mutations is a challenging molecular biology problem, because nearly identical mutant and wild-type molecules exhibit crosstalk. Reliable ultrasensitive point mutation detection will facilitate early detection of cancer and therapeutic monitoring of cancer patients.

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop a method to correct errors in low-level cell line mixes.

Estrogen metabolism in the human lung: impact of tumorigenesis, smoke, sex and race/ethnicity.

Previous data from this group demonstrate that the murine lung metabolizes estrogen. Production of the putative carcinogen 4-hydroxyestrogen (4-OHE) is elevated within the lungs of female vs. male mice and accelerated by tobacco smoke.

Clinical mutational profiling of 1006 lung cancers by next generation sequencing.

Analysis of lung adenocarcinomas for actionable mutations has become standard of care. Here, we report our experience using next generation sequencing (NGS) to examine , , , , , , and genes in 1006 non-small cell lung cancers in a clinical diagnostic setting. NGS demonstrated high sensitivity.

Differential preventive activity of sulindac and atorvastatin in Apcmice with or without colorectal adenomas.

Objective: The response of subjects to preventive intervention is heterogeneous. The goal of this study was to determine if the efficacy of a chemopreventive agent differs in non-tumour-bearing animals versus those with colorectal tumours. Sulindac and/or atorvastatin was administered to Apc mice with known tumour-bearing status at treatment initiation.

Analytical Validation of Androgen Receptor Splice Variant 7 Detection in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Laboratory Setting.

Patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) often are treated with drugs that target the androgen receptor (AR) ligand-binding domain. Constitutively active AR splice variant 7 (AR-V7) lacks the ligand-binding domain and, if detected in circulating tumor cells, may be associated with resistance to these agents. We validated an AR-V7 assay in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratory.