Possible pharmacologic glioma treatment in Drosophila model

Possible pharmacologic glioma treatment in Drosophila model

Presenter(s)

Jenea Imani Adams, Kaitlyn M Alleman, Luke Alan Bressler, Karishma Sanjay Gangwani, Kathleen Theresa McCaslin, Katie Katherine Parker, Kirti Snigdha, Claire C Sullivan

Description

Glioma is a lethal brain cancer, and current treatment strategies have limited effects by extending life only by a few months. Thus, efforts should be made to discover better inhibitors of glioma growth. Ideally such inhibitors will suppress the progression of glioma by (a) inhibiting the underlying molecular pathways activated in glioma, or (b) prevent rapid proliferation of the glia and other cells that encompass the glioma tumor. We have developed a glioma model by co-activating PI3K and Ras/MAPK specifically in the Drosophila CNS glia. The Drosophila glioma cause the larval brain to appear enlarged due to rapid increase in the stem cells and their glial and neural progeny. These tumors cause the larvae to enter a prolonged larval phase, and eventually kill the organism. We are conducting a chemical screen using Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Selleck Biochem.) in which we feed early third instar (72h old) larvae 10 or 300uM chemicals in DMSO and then see effects on glioma growth, and survival in mature third instar stage (120h old). Using these metrics, here we present data from our screen pertaining to drugs from rows A, B, C, and D of our library. Once we identify potential glioma inhibitors in the primary screens, we will validate them in secondary screens.

Publication Date

4-24-2019

Project Designation

Independent Research

Primary Advisor

Madhuri Kango-Singh

Primary Advisor's Department

Biology

Keywords

Stander Symposium project

Possible pharmacologic glioma treatment in Drosophila model

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