Expression of the ErbB Family of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and Toll-like Receptor 4 on Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells: A Preliminary Study

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its three related proteins are collectively known as an ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). It comprises of four distinct receptors: the EGFR (ErbB1/Her1), ErbB2 (neu/Her2), ErbB3 (Her3) and ErbB4 (Her4). It plays a critical function in the homeostasis of epithelial cells. It also drives cancer development. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is considered the sixth most common cancer. It has been reported that an overexpression of EGFR correlated with progression and poor prognosis in SCC of the tongue. Therefore, targeted inhibition of EGFR is a promising approach to suppress signal transduction pathways which control tumor cell growth, proliferation, and resistance to apoptosis. The role of bacteria in cancer, in particular initiation and progression, is well known. It has been reported that TLR4 activation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) results in resistance to EGFR-targeted therapy in OSCC. The overall goal of the study is to elucidate how oral bacteria influence the clinical outcome of the EGFR-targeted therapy in OSCC since the oral cavity harbors a diverse and complex microbial community. In this presentation, we reported an expression of ErbB family of RTKs and TLR 4 on OSCC cells

Expression of the ErbB Family of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and Toll-like Receptor 4 on Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells: A Preliminary Study

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its three related proteins are collectively known as an ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). It comprises of four distinct receptors: the EGFR (ErbB1/Her1), ErbB2 (neu/Her2), ErbB3 (Her3) and ErbB4 (Her4). It plays a critical function in the homeostasis of epithelial cells. It also drives cancer development. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is considered the sixth most common cancer. It has been reported that an overexpression of EGFR correlated with progression and poor prognosis in SCC of the tongue. Therefore, targeted inhibition of EGFR is a promising approach to suppress signal transduction pathways which control tumor cell growth, proliferation, and resistance to apoptosis. The role of bacteria in cancer, in particular initiation and progression, is well known. It has been reported that TLR4 activation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) results in resistance to EGFR-targeted therapy in OSCC. The overall goal of the study is to elucidate how oral bacteria influence the clinical outcome of the EGFR-targeted therapy in OSCC since the oral cavity harbors a diverse and complex microbial community. In this presentation, we reported an expression of ErbB family of RTKs and TLR 4 on OSCC cells

The Role of Inflammation in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Literature Review, Preliminary Data, and Proposal of Experiments

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a trans-differentiation process of epithelial cells into motile mesenchymal cells. It plays an integral role in embryonic development, wound healing and cancer progression. During EMT, epithelial cells lose their cellular polarity due to the loss of intercellular adhesion and acquire migratory and invasive characteristics associated with mesenchymal cells. EMT is tightly regulated by a number of distinct molecular processes which allow its initiation and progression to completion. These processes include activation of transcription factors, expression of specific cell-surface proteins, reorganization and expression of cytoskeletal proteins, production of extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes and changes in the expression of specific microRNAs. In many cases, the involved factors are also used as biomarkers to demonstrate the passage of a cell through an EMT. The role of chronic inflammation in cancer development was first described in 1863, and has since been linked to tissue invasion and metastasis. Inflammatory cytokines produced by local cells, tumor-associated macrophages in particular, have long been known to positively correlate to metastatic occurrences. In addition, accumulating evidence has suggested that certain types of cancer cells directly respond to bacterial virulence factors by synthesizing molecules that further promote invasion and/or metastasis. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy affecting the oral and maxillofacial complex. Common risk factors, such as cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and oral microbiota, have been linked to the development of OSCC. It is well known that the gut microbiota release substances that affect EMT. Therefore, the oral microbiota potentially promote EMT in OSCC in a similar manner. In this study, we present current knowledge on EMT, including its regulatory genes and their target proteins, and the role of chronic inflammation associated with OSCC in initiating EMT. We will also discuss the preliminary data and suggest potential future experiments

Photocytotoxicity of liposomal zinc phthalocyanine in oral squamous cell carcinoma and pharyngeal carcinoma cells

Aim: Photodynamic therapy utilizes a light-sensitive molecule that produces reactive oxygen species following irradiation. Photodynamic activities of free Zn phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and its liposomal formulations on human oral squamous cell carcinoma and pharyngeal carcinoma cells were assessed. Materials & methods: ZnPc was incorporated in extruded and nonextruded liposomes composed of palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPG):palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) or POPG:dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine liposomes and incubated with CAL 27 or FaDu cells. Cell viability was assessed following illumination and further incubation. Results: ZnPc incorporated in extruded POPG:POPC liposomes caused extensive cytotoxicity, while ZnPc in extruded or nonextruded POPG:dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine liposomes or in multilamellar POPG:POPC liposomes were not effective. Conclusion: Extruded POPG:POPC liposomes are a useful delivery vehicle for ZnPc in photodynamic therapy of oral and pharyngeal cancers

Fashioning My Garden of Solace: A Black Feminist Autoethnography

Through the lens of Black feminist autoethnography and (auto)biographical narrative, this article makes an impactful contribution to postcolonial feminist thought, fashion and cultural studies. I consider the significance of fashion and material culture as sociopolitical strategies of presence that offer an unparalleled understanding of my unique lived experience as a Ghanaian-Cameroonian-American Black woman. By exploring the intergenerational legacy of how my mother and I actively navigate the dichotomy of hypervisible, yet unseen, this article further considers the emancipatory potential and underacknowledged legacy of Black women’s contributions to aesthetic and visual culture through embodied activism located within the practice of horticulture and gardening, alongside self-fashioned identity