Grp94: A Possible Therapeutic Target for Multiple Myeloma
School Name
Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
Grade Level
12th Grade
Presentation Topic
Biochemistry
Presentation Type
Mentored
Oral Presentation Award
1st Place
Written Paper Award
2nd Place
Abstract
Multiple Myeloma is a malignant plasma-cell cancer with little known about its pathogenesis and no cure. Previous studies attribute the cancer’s development to the upregulation of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) of its cells. This is an evolutionally conserved process that responds to an abundance of misfolded or unfolded proteins released from the endoplasmic reticulum. Among the signaling cascades of the UPR, grp94 is a downstream chaperone protein that assists in the folding of proteins. This protein chaperone proves to be a promising target because greater concentration of the glycoprotein shows a correlation with worsening stages of Multiple Myeloma. If the inhibition of grp94 has a negative impact on the cancer’s cell survival, then this supports its use as a promising therapeutic target. Western Blots and Cell Proliferations Assays were conducted to measure the effects of WS13 (a grp94 inhibitor) on Multiple Myeloma plasma cell survival. From the results, WS13 decreases cell proliferation. The Western Blots of Caspase-7 and HSP90 reveal that grp94 induces apoptosis of the Multiple Myeloma cells, but does not induce UPR. Since grp94 is linked to the pathogenesis of the malignant cancer and the UPR, then the fact this study supports that the inhibitor does not induce UPR, but decreases cell proliferation is promising. From this study, the inhibition of grp94 is a promising method for decreasing cell survival of Multiple Myeloma cells.
Recommended Citation
Wilson, Victoria, "Grp94: A Possible Therapeutic Target for Multiple Myeloma" (2018). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 7.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2018/all/7
Location
Neville 106
Start Date
4-14-2018 9:45 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Grp94: A Possible Therapeutic Target for Multiple Myeloma
Neville 106
Multiple Myeloma is a malignant plasma-cell cancer with little known about its pathogenesis and no cure. Previous studies attribute the cancer’s development to the upregulation of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) of its cells. This is an evolutionally conserved process that responds to an abundance of misfolded or unfolded proteins released from the endoplasmic reticulum. Among the signaling cascades of the UPR, grp94 is a downstream chaperone protein that assists in the folding of proteins. This protein chaperone proves to be a promising target because greater concentration of the glycoprotein shows a correlation with worsening stages of Multiple Myeloma. If the inhibition of grp94 has a negative impact on the cancer’s cell survival, then this supports its use as a promising therapeutic target. Western Blots and Cell Proliferations Assays were conducted to measure the effects of WS13 (a grp94 inhibitor) on Multiple Myeloma plasma cell survival. From the results, WS13 decreases cell proliferation. The Western Blots of Caspase-7 and HSP90 reveal that grp94 induces apoptosis of the Multiple Myeloma cells, but does not induce UPR. Since grp94 is linked to the pathogenesis of the malignant cancer and the UPR, then the fact this study supports that the inhibitor does not induce UPR, but decreases cell proliferation is promising. From this study, the inhibition of grp94 is a promising method for decreasing cell survival of Multiple Myeloma cells.
