Discovering New Treatments for Children with Neuroblastoma: Investigating the Effects of DFMO on Neuroblastoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Presentation Type

Poster/Portfolio

Presenter Major(s)

Biomedical Sciences

Mentor Information

Martin Burg, Giselle Sholler

Department

Biomedical Sciences

Location

Henry Hall Atrium 92

Start Date

10-4-2013 3:00 PM

End Date

10-4-2013 4:00 PM

Keywords

Health, Life Science

Abstract

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a pediatric cancer that is usually diagnosed in children less than 5 years of age. To identify potential new treatments, our lab at VAI uses genomic data to find genes abnormally expressed in NB such as ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). This gene codes for the enzyme ODC which creates polyamines necessary for cell growth and proliferation. Alpha-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) is a drug that inhibits the ODC enzyme. We tested DFMO alone and in combination with other drugs in NB cells using techniques including cell viability assays, western blotting, and in vivo experiments. Cell viability assays use a range of drug concentrations to determine the 50% survival dose (IC50) for a particular cell type identifying those cells resistant or sensitive to a drug. For my project I examined DFMO in combination with other drugs in NB cells using cell viability assays to assess if these drug combinations show synergy. Optimal combinations will then be used in xenograft models.

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Apr 10th, 3:00 PM Apr 10th, 4:00 PM

Discovering New Treatments for Children with Neuroblastoma: Investigating the Effects of DFMO on Neuroblastoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Henry Hall Atrium 92

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a pediatric cancer that is usually diagnosed in children less than 5 years of age. To identify potential new treatments, our lab at VAI uses genomic data to find genes abnormally expressed in NB such as ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). This gene codes for the enzyme ODC which creates polyamines necessary for cell growth and proliferation. Alpha-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) is a drug that inhibits the ODC enzyme. We tested DFMO alone and in combination with other drugs in NB cells using techniques including cell viability assays, western blotting, and in vivo experiments. Cell viability assays use a range of drug concentrations to determine the 50% survival dose (IC50) for a particular cell type identifying those cells resistant or sensitive to a drug. For my project I examined DFMO in combination with other drugs in NB cells using cell viability assays to assess if these drug combinations show synergy. Optimal combinations will then be used in xenograft models.