Cancer is one of the most deadly diseases in the world, with millions of people being diagnosed and millions more dying every year. Breast cancer is one of the most deadly cancers, especially in women. Proliferating cells undergo metabolic reprogramming from catabolic, or energy-producing, to anabolic metabolism, which is beneficial to proliferating cells due to the increase in biosynthesis. In non-cancerous proliferating cells, the metabolic reprogramming is reverted back to catabolic metabolism after proliferation. In cancer cells, the metabolism is not reverted back, thus leaving the cell in a constant state of biosynthesis, growth and division, which aids in the formation and spread of tumors. Various factors such as hypoxia, low oxygen levels, and gene profiles affect the extent of metabolic reprogramming, as well as treatment options. One of the main pathways affected by metabolic reprogramming is choline metabolism, which produces phospholipids used in the cell membrane. The metabolic reprogramming of choline metabolism is critical to the formation of tumors. Glycerophosphocholine (GPC), a metabolite found in choline metabolism from the breakdown of a phosphocholine used in the cell membrane, is influenced by the gene GPDP6. Total choline, made of GPC and phosphocholine (PCho) has been suggested as a cancer signal. Levels of GPC and PCho have an inverse relationship with one another, where if one is higher, the other is low and vice versa. Higher levels of GPC are beneficial to the cell, because that means PCho levels are low, which means that less phosphatidylcholine is being produced for the cell membrane.
GDPD6, a gene that influences the expression of GPC, a metabolite used in choline metabolism, was over-expressed, wild-type or empty-vector in MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The cell lines were then treated with various levels of estrogen (50 Nm/20 mL, 100 Nm/20 mL, and 250 Nm/20 mL for each cell line expressing different levels of GDPD6) after a period of starvation. Following the treatment western blot and NMR-Spectroscopy were performed on the cell lines to determine the level of GPC present in the samples.
This project aims at discovering the effects of estrogen on GDPD6 expression and subsequent GPC levels. This project asks what if different levels of estrogen was given to breast cancer cells with various levels of GDPD6 expression
GDPD6, a gene that influences the expression of GPC, a metabolite used in choline metabolism, was over-expressed, wild-type or empty-vector in MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The cell lines were then treated with various levels of estrogen (50 Nm/20 mL, 100 Nm/20 mL, and 250 Nm/20 mL for each cell line expressing different levels of GDPD6) after a period of starvation. Following the treatment western blot and NMR-Spectroscopy were performed on the cell lines to determine the level of GPC present in the samples.
This project aims at discovering the effects of estrogen on GDPD6 expression and subsequent GPC levels. This project asks what if different levels of estrogen was given to breast cancer cells with various levels of GDPD6 expression