1. Level of Tumor Protein Indicates Chances Cancer Will Spread AND Malfunctioning Gene Associated With Lou Gehrig's Disease Leads to Nerve-Cell Death in Mice Mallory Fernández Zurita Medicine Student UPB Medellín-Colombia

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4. INTRODUCTION

5. Level of Tumor Protein Indicates Chances Cancer Will Spread (Science Daily, Feb. 2-2011) Level of Tumor Protein Indicates Chances Cancer Will Spread (Science Daily, Feb. 2-2011) Researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the University of Hong Kong have discovered the relation between a protein, known as CPE-delta N, a form of carboxypeptidase E (CPE) and the spread of cancer cells. The tests for CPE-delta N were made indirectly, by measuring levels of a molecule that assists in manufacturing the protein. Next they tested a potential strategy for preventing the spread of cancer by halting the production of CPE-delta N in two different mouse models. The strategy involved treating metastatic tumors with antisense RNA, which binds to RNA, preventing it from making a protein. A month later the tumor that was treated hasn’t grow but the tumor that wasn’t treated was larger. STUDENT OBSERVATION: This particular protein that has been related with the metastasis of cancer represents a huge improve in the tests that can be made to prevent and be ready for the spread of a tumor. More studies about this protein and the effects that can produce should be done. STUDENT OBSERVATION:

6. Level of Tumor Protein Indicates Chances Cancer Will Spread CPE- delta N is a proteinthat has beenfound in high leves in tumorsthat are removed fromthebody, whentheysurely has mademetastasis. Theteststheymadepredictedthe spread evenwhentheconventionaltecniquessuggestthatthe spread wasunlikely.

7. Level of Tumor Protein Indicates Chances Cancer Will Spread Thetestsweremadeindirectly, bymeasuringlevels of a molecule that assists in manufacturing the protein. When the level of CPE delta-N RNA in the tumor was more than twice that in the surrounding tissue, the cancer was highly likely to metastasize within two years or to appear again in the same place.

8. Level of Tumor Protein Indicates Chances Cancer Will Spread In the cases where cancer appeared again or made metastasis, CPE-delta N RNA levels were greater than 1 million. In the cases where cancer made no metastasis or appeared again the tumors had less than 250,000 copies.

9. STUDENT OBSERVATION

10. Malfunctioning Gene Associated With Lou Gehrig's Disease Leads to Nerve-Cell Death in Mice (Science Daily, Jan. 6-2011)

11. Malfunctioning Gene Associated With Lou Gehrig's Disease Leads to Nerve-Cell Death in Mice Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) are characterized by protein clumps in nerve-cells that include an RNA-binding protein called TDP-43.

12. Malfunctioning Gene Associated With Lou Gehrig's Disease Leads to Nerve-Cell Death in Mice

13. Malfunctioning Gene Associated With Lou Gehrig's Disease Leads to Nerve-Cell Death in Mice The loss of function of TDP-43 is important because it regulates gene expression. Expression of TDP-43 caused neuron loss in forebrain regions; degeneration of part of the spinal cord tract and muscle spasms in the mice used for the experiment.

14. STUDENT OBSERVATION

15. MEDICAL UTILITY

16. MEDICAL UTILITY The CPE-delta N proteinwillimprovethehability of thedoctorstopredictif a cancer will spread.

17. MEDICAL UTILITY Byusingthe test of CPE-delta N protein and theconventionaltecniques, we can be more sureaboutthemetastasis of cancer.

18. MEDICAL UTILITY Studiesaboutthe TDP-43 proteinwillcontinueto be done so somedaythescientist and doctorswillhavethe chance toofferthepatientswith ALS and FTLD anoppoprtunityto stop orminimizethedamage of theirneurons.

19. BIBLIOGRAPHY Malfunctioning Gene Associated With Lou Gehrig's Disease Leads to Nerve-Cell Death in Mice. Science Daily. January 6, 2011. Level of Tumor Protein Indicates Chances Cancer Will Spread. Science Daily. February 2, 2011.