Area of Interest 2: Mechanisms in Nitric Oxide (NO) and Prostaglandin E (PGE)2 Mediated Breast Cancer Progression

Our past research on the mechanisms of cancer growth and spread had led to new protocols for treating certain human cancers with success. Present research focuses on human breast cancer. It revolves around our discoveries that aberrant expression of Nitric Oxide syntheses (NOS, enzymes responsible for Nitric Oxide production) or Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 (an enzyme responsible for high PGE2 production) by cancer cells, promotes breast cancer progression and metastasis by multiple cellular events: (a) an inactivation of cancer-fighting immune cells, (b) a stimulation of cancer cell migration and invasiveness, (c) a stimulation of tumor-associated angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels to feed the tumor). While these cellular events are similar for both NO and PGE2 actions, molecular mechanisms are different. Recently we discovered a fourth cellular event stimulated by PGE2: a stimulation of lymphangiogenesis (formation of new lymphatics that support lymphatic metastasis). Molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying all these events are under study to identify appropriate molecular targets for breast cancer therapy.

(Her-2 immunostaining of human breast cancer tissue)

Please click here for the selected publications related to this area of research.

Back to Research Page