): Candidate: The proposed research plan will explore the function of HER4 as a potential differentiation factor in human breast cancer. The training that Dr. Sartor will receive under the direct supervision of Dr. H. Shelton Earp during the award period will significantly enhance her development in basic science methodology critical to the success of an independent investigator. Dr. Sartor's long-term career goals are to become an academic radiation oncologist who can combine multidisciplinary breast cancer patient care with a study of the biology of human breast cancer. Her ultimate goal is to determine the significance of the epidermal growth factor receptor family of receptors in human breast cancer with regard to prognosis, treatment response, recurrence, and to develop new therapeutic strategies that target EGFR family members. Funding of the requested award would ensure the protected time away from clinical responsibilities necessary to ensure further lab training in molecular oncogenesis research. Environment: Support from this proposal comes from the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Departrnent of Radiation Oncology. Dr. Sartor is provided space in Dr. Earp's laboratory as well as use of the core facilities of the Cancer Center and the UNC Breast Cancer SPORE. Support will include equipment, reagents, and consumables for the project. Funding of this proposal will ensure that 75 percent of the candidate's time will be devoted to the proposed research. Research: Our preliminary studies, as well as those of others, demonstrate that ligands that activate HER4 can cause differentiation and decrease proliferation of human breast cancer cells. However, HER4 has not been proven to have a direct and causal role in differentiation. Therefore, we propose a series of experiments using stably expressed HER4, EGFR:HER4 chimera and dominant negative HER4 mutants to determine whether activation of HER4 causes differentiation. We will define the contest in which HER4 is involved in a differentiation signal, paying particular attention to partnership with other EGFR family members, studied under the influence of EFG family member ligands which activate HER4. We will then explore the downstream signal transduction pathways of HER4 involved in differentiation. These avenues of investigation of HER4 will help us to understand more about the complex and critically important EGFR family members in breast cancer, and may lead to the discovery of HER4 as an important prognostic factor and potential target for novel therapeutics.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) (K08)
Project #
5K08CA083753-05
Application #
6840523
Study Section
Subcommittee G - Education (NCI)
Program Officer
Eckstein, David J
Project Start
2001-06-21
Project End
2006-05-31
Budget Start
2004-12-01
Budget End
2005-11-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$130,251
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Radiation-Diagnostic/Oncology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
608195277
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599
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Sambade, Maria J; Camp, J Terese; Kimple, Randall J et al. (2009) Mechanism of lapatinib-mediated radiosensitization of breast cancer cells is primarily by inhibition of the Raf>MEK>ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade and radiosensitization of lapatinib-resistant cells restored by direct inhibition of MEK. Radiother Oncol 93:639-44
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Neuman, Heather; Carey, Lisa A; Ollila, David W et al. (2006) Axillary lymph node count is lower after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Am J Surg 191:827-9
Liu, Yuanbo; Majumder, Samarpan; McCall, Wesley et al. (2005) Inhibition of HER-2/neu kinase impairs androgen receptor recruitment to the androgen responsive enhancer. Cancer Res 65:3404-9
Eckert, Lynn B; Repasky, Gretchen A; Ulku, Aylin S et al. (2004) Involvement of Ras activation in human breast cancer cell signaling, invasion, and anoikis. Cancer Res 64:4585-92
Sartor, Carolyn I (2004) Mechanisms of disease: Radiosensitization by epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors. Nat Clin Pract Oncol 1:80-7
Zhou, Hong; Kim, Yeon-Shil; Peletier, Aaron et al. (2004) Effects of the EGFR/HER2 kinase inhibitor GW572016 on EGFR- and HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cell line proliferation, radiosensitization, and resistance. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 58:344-52
Sartor, Carolyn I (2003) Epidermal growth factor family receptors and inhibitors: radiation response modulators. Semin Radiat Oncol 13:22-30
Grana, Theresa M; Sartor, Carolyn I; Cox, Adrienne D (2003) Epidermal growth factor receptor autocrine signaling in RIE-1 cells transformed by the Ras oncogene enhances radiation resistance. Cancer Res 63:7807-14

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