Publications by authors named "Vidya Rajasekaran"
Article Synopsis
- Common genetic variation at the 11q23.1 locus is linked to colorectal cancer risk, complicating the understanding of its mechanisms due to complex gene interactions and expression patterns.
- The study utilizes various sequencing methods and mouse models to identify key genes, especially highlighting rs3087967 as a crucial variant that influences the expression of 21 genes associated with tuft cell markers.
- The findings suggest that the risk genotype at rs3087967 leads to a deficiency in tuft cells, which are important for tumor suppression, positioning these cells as protective elements in colorectal cancer development.
Article Synopsis
- Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a genetic risk factor located at 11q23.1, which influences gene expression through eQTL mechanisms affecting both local (cis) and distant (trans) targets.* -
- Analysis of 32,361 healthy colonic epithelial cells revealed a specific gene network linked to the expression of tuft cells, with one module showing significant correlation with the gene POU2AF2.* -
- The study identified 12 trans-eQTL targets related to the 11q23.1 region, suggesting that these genes are associated with tuft cell abundance, where lower expression correlates with fewer tuft cells in the tissue.*
Article Synopsis
- Lymph nodes (LNs) are important in detecting colorectal cancer spread, but traditional imaging methods like CT and MRI have limitations in accurately assessing them.
- B-mode and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) could enhance LN detection, but further research is needed before they can be widely adopted in clinical settings.
- A pilot study using a mouse model found that a new scoring system based on various LN characteristics may provide better predictive accuracy for cancer involvement than simply measuring LN size.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with risk of several common cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Here we have utilized patient derived epithelial organoids (ex vivo) and CRC cell lines (in vitro) to show that calcitriol (1,25OHD) increased the expression of the CRC tumor suppressor gene, CDH1, at both the transcript and protein level. Whole genome expression analysis demonstrated significant differential expression of a further six genes after 1,25OHD treatment, including genes with established links to carcinogenesis GADD45, EFTUD1 and KIAA1199.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground & Aims: Aspirin reduces colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality. Understanding the biology responsible for this protective effect is key to developing biomarker-led approaches for rational clinical use. Wnt signaling drives CRC development from initiation to progression through regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cell populations.
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