Award Date

5-1-2021

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Dental Medicine

First Committee Member

Fiona Britton

Second Committee Member

Karl Kingsley

Third Committee Member

Katherine Howard

Fourth Committee Member

Courtney Coughenour

Number of Pages

58

Abstract

In 2008, the gene ANO1 was discovered to encode a calcium activated chloride channel. This gene is located on the 11q13 locus, a locus that is commonly amplified in many cancers including cancer of the head and neck. ANO1 is situated in close proximity to genes associated with growth and apoptosis. As rapid proliferation and lack of apoptosis are hallmark characteristics of cancer, growth factors and apoptosis mediators are expected to be altered in cancer. But what does a calcium activated chloride channel have to contribute to cancer’s pathogenesis? Is it an active gene in cancer progression or is it simply amplified due to its close proximity to a gene that is driving the upregulation of this locus?

To date, ANO1 has been found to be elevated in many cancers, including cancers of the head and neck. It has been associated with a poor prognosis and a high incidence of metastasis, but its mechanism of action is unclear. Research is relatively new and is limited, especially with its association of head and neck cancer. Perhaps, if ANO1 does have a role to play in cancer progression, ANO1 may provide a therapeutic target and/or diagnostic and prognostic marker in cancer patients.

The purpose of this study is to attempt to understand more clearly ANO1’s role in oral cancer. After ANO1’s activity is altered, proliferation and pivotal genes associated with apoptosis will be evaluated in head and neck cancer cells.

Keywords

ANO1; Cancer; Drug therapy; Oral cancer

Disciplines

Dentistry | Molecular Biology

File Format

pdf

File Size

662 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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