Transcription factor Oct4 and tumorigenic property of medulloblastoma

• Grant number: 11/05534-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2011
• End date: July 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Human and Medical Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Oswaldo Keith Okamoto
• Grantee: Patrícia Benites Gonçalves da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Medulloblastoma is an embryonal type of tumor occurring more frequently in childhood and adolescence. From new findings regarding the cell of origin and beginning of the carcinogenic process, a new hypothesis about the origin of cancer has been postulated: the hypothesis of tumor stem cells. Several studies have shown that tumors that express genes typical of stem cells have characteristics more primitive and aggressive, often associated with a higher grade of malignancy. Recent studies from our group found that the expression of pluripotency Oct4 gene in medulloblastoma, though sporadic, is correlated with poor survival, indicating a worse prognosis. Studies by independent groups indicate that Oct4 is involved in processes of self-renewal and inhibition of differentiation in normal and neoplastic cells. Therefore, this project will test whether the expression of pluripotency Oct4 gene affects the proliferation, migration and invasion of human medulloblastoma cell line DAOY. We expect in this study to evaluate the relevance of Oct4 in tumorigenesis of medulloblastoma. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GONCALVES DA SILVA, PATRICIA BENITES; TEIXEIRA DOS SANTOS, MARCIA CRISTINA; RODINI, CAROLINA OLIVEIRA; KAID, CAROLINI; LEITE PEREIRA, MARCIA CRISTINA; FURUKAWA, GABRIELA; GIMENES DA CRUZ, DANIEL SANZIO; GOLDFEDER, MAURICIO BARBUGIANI; REILY ROCHA, CLARISSA RIBEIRO; ROSENBERG, CARLA; et al. High OCT4A levels drive tumorigenicity and metastatic potential of medulloblastoma cells. ONCOTARGET, v. 8, n. 12, p. 19192-19204, 2017. (11/51588-2, 11/05534-8, 11/10001-9, 10/52686-5, 13/02983-1, 13/08028-1, 13/17566-7)