Using High-Precision Signaling Activity Imaging to Personalize Ras Pathway Inhibition Strategies in Neurofibromatosis

Abstract

The goal of this project is to characterize differences in Ras pathway signaling in using live cell activity measurements in cell types and genetic contexts relevant to NF1. During this award period, we have completed data collection for single-cell measurements of ERK activity in both cell lines and in patient-derived fibroblasts. While both technical and biological variability are substantial in these experiments, we have developed improved methods of statistical comparisons to enable us to detect significant differences in signaling kinetics in NF1-deficient cells. Our results indicate that deficiency for NF1 results in elevated ERK activity in unstimulated cells, but has no measureable effect on growth-factor stimulated pathway activity. Based on initial studies of gene expression in response to altered ERK activity, we have identified characteristics of genes whose expression level is regulated by the integrated level of ERK activity over time, providing a potential mechanism by which the elevated baseline level of pathway activity in NF1 cells may alter gene expression profiles.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2018
Accession Number
AD1063065

Entities

People

  • John G Albeck

Organizations

  • University of California, Davis

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cell Line
  • Cell Physiological Processes
  • Cells
  • Chemistry
  • Computational Science
  • Data Science
  • Gene Expression
  • Genetics
  • Growth Factors
  • Image Processing
  • Information Processing
  • Information Science
  • Medical Personnel
  • Peptide Growth Factors
  • Statistical Algorithms
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Systems Biology

Fields of Study

  • Biology

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  • Breast cancer cell signaling and growth regulation.
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology
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Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology