Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

5-2024

School/College

College of Science, Engineering, and Technology (COSET)

Degree Name

MS in Biology

Committee Chairperson

Audrey Player

Committee Member 1

Tuan Phan

Committee Member 2

Ayodotun Sodipe

Committee Member 3

Shodimu-Emmanuel Olufemi

Keywords

Breast Cancer, MYBL1, Triple Negative Breast Cancer, UBXN2B, VCPIP1

Abstract

The focus of our laboratory is to characterize triple negative breast cancers. In a previous study we identified six genes over-expressed in a subset of the cancers. MYBL1 was one of the genes. MYBL1 is a strong transcriptional activator responsible for regulation of genes associated with cell cycle signaling, differentiation and apoptosis, all processes that drive cancers. Because of MYBL1’s involvement in processes key to cancer pathogenesis, in an earlier study, we knocked down the MYBL1 gene in efforts to identify genes that were either directly or indirectly associating with the gene to affect the triple negative breast cancer processes. The implication is that MYBL1, being a strong transcriptional activator, can affect the cancer processes. Analyses of the knockdown dataset show that when MYBL1 is knocked down, the VCPIP1 gene is also knocked down. Both MYBL1 and VCPIP1 gene are located at the chromosomal 8q13.1 locus. And bioinformatic analyses of pan cancers and breast cancers show some of the same patients with MYBL1 alterations have VCPIP1 alterations, with almost complete concordance. The precise nature of the alterations in TNBC has not been identified, but the alterations in cell lines lead to over-expression of the genes. Data mining via STRINGTM analyses show high confidence associations between MYBL1, VCPIP1 and another gene UBXN2B, which is in a VCPIP1 mitotic signaling pathway. Although direct interactions have not been identified, all three genes are involved in mitotic signaling mechanisms. As summary, the current project describes bioinformatic and experimental data validating the possible relationship between MYBL1 and VCPIP1, and possibly the UBXN2B gene. Our data convincingly demonstrate an association between MYBL1 and VCPIP1 and we suspect this association is related to cooperation between the genes in mitotic signaling events.

Included in

Biology Commons

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