Study of biomarkers of prognosis and response to therapy in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs)

• Grant number: 14/09990-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: July 01, 2014
• End date: December 12, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Human and Medical Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Rui Manuel Vieira Reis
• Grantee: Nathália Cristina Campanella
• Supervisor: Ana Paula Soares Dias Ferreira
• Host Institution: Hospital do Câncer de Barretos. Fundação Pio XII (FP). Barretos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade do Porto (UP), Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/25787-3 - Study of biomarkers of prognosis and response to therapy in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), BP.DD

Abstract

The gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract whose prognosis of the patients is based on criteria including tumor size, mitotic index and localization. Despite of this classification, GIST progression is often inaccurate. The aim of this study is to elucidate the biological role and therapeutic potential biomarker TERT in GISTs by experiments in vitro and in vivo. Will be built two established cell lines (derived from GIST882 strain) expressing the TERT gene containing the mutation C228T, C250T or wild to assess the viability, apoptosis, proliferation, invasion and cell migration. At the same time, the imatinib response will be assessed in wild type and TERT mutated cell lines. Then, using the clone modified to TERT in vivo tests will be conducted through the CAM (chorioallantoic membrane) model for assessment of tumor size and angiogenesis. (AU)