Molecular Detection of Luciferase-Tagged Melanoma Cells In Primary Tumors and Metastatic Sites In Black Mice
School Name
Governor's School for Science & Mathematics
Grade Level
12th Grade
Presentation Topic
Cell and Molecular Biology
Presentation Type
Mentored
Written Paper Award
4th Place
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer due to its highly metastatic characteristic. In order to get a better understanding of the characteristic properties of melanoma, tumor models (mice) are necessary to mimic the human condition. In the course of establishing a postsurgical mouse melanoma model with metastasis to distant sites, it is important to characterize these melanoma cells in both primary and metastatic sites. Previous research has indicated that further examination of tumors in mouse models injected with luciferase-tagged cancer cells did not show luciferase expression. Therefore, the aim of this research was to inject two varieties of tumor cell lines, B16F10 and K1735c4, which were genetically engineered for luciferase, into mice, wait for tumors to form, and test for luciferase in both primary tumors and metastatic sites in the mice. Polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the presence of the luciferase gene, and Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis were performed to detect luciferase gene expression in these mice. Preliminary results from the PCR indicate that the luciferase gene was present in both primary tumors and metastized lungs. Western blot and immunofluorescence results indicate that the luciferase protein was expressed in primary tumors but due to time constraints, analyses of metastatic sites could not be performed. Future work includes using the same analyses to detect luciferase in other organs that might show metastasis.
Recommended Citation
Mutuc, Allana, "Molecular Detection of Luciferase-Tagged Melanoma Cells In Primary Tumors and Metastatic Sites In Black Mice" (2017). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 30.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2017/all/30
Start Date
3-25-2017 11:59 PM
Presentation Format
Written Only
Group Project
No
Molecular Detection of Luciferase-Tagged Melanoma Cells In Primary Tumors and Metastatic Sites In Black Mice
Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer due to its highly metastatic characteristic. In order to get a better understanding of the characteristic properties of melanoma, tumor models (mice) are necessary to mimic the human condition. In the course of establishing a postsurgical mouse melanoma model with metastasis to distant sites, it is important to characterize these melanoma cells in both primary and metastatic sites. Previous research has indicated that further examination of tumors in mouse models injected with luciferase-tagged cancer cells did not show luciferase expression. Therefore, the aim of this research was to inject two varieties of tumor cell lines, B16F10 and K1735c4, which were genetically engineered for luciferase, into mice, wait for tumors to form, and test for luciferase in both primary tumors and metastatic sites in the mice. Polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the presence of the luciferase gene, and Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis were performed to detect luciferase gene expression in these mice. Preliminary results from the PCR indicate that the luciferase gene was present in both primary tumors and metastized lungs. Western blot and immunofluorescence results indicate that the luciferase protein was expressed in primary tumors but due to time constraints, analyses of metastatic sites could not be performed. Future work includes using the same analyses to detect luciferase in other organs that might show metastasis.
Mentor
Mentor: Karin Müller-Decker, German Cancer Research Center