Andrew Wilson, PhD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
The Role of the Nuclear Orphan Receptor TR3/Nur77 in Ovarian Cancer
Preliminary results have led to the hypothesis that TR3 is a marker of chemotherapy-induced apoptosis and a potential therapeutic target in ovarian cancer. In this study, three aims will be investigated by Dr. Wilson and his team. First, knockdown studies will be done to determine if TR3 is mechanistically involved in the tumor cell response to HDAC inhibitors or DNA-damaging agents. In the second aim, mitochondrial translocation will be assessed using immunoflourescence and subcellular fractionation. Lastly, TR3 expression will be correlated with response to therapy in both cultured cell lines and in human ovarian cancer specimens. Results will provide a valuable extension of Dr. Wilson’s work to determine the utility of TR3 as a biomarker and therapeutic target for future treatment of ovarian cancer.