Request for Funding

Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2002

Mentor: Drs. Maria-Ana Ghetie and Ellen Vitetta
Department: Cancer Immunobiology Center
Room number: NB9.116
Mail Code: 8576
Phone number: 214-648-1221
E-mail: Ellen.Vitetta@UTSouthwestern.edu
Project title: An anti-CD19 antibody can reverse multidrug resistance of lymphoma cells. How does this happen?

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)

Basic research in cancer therapeutics

Brief Description of Project:

The goal of the present project is to study the mechanisms underlying the ability of an anti-CD19 MAb too reverse multiple drug resistance (MDR) in a human B-lymphoma. P-gp is the constituent protein in the membrane of MDR tumor cells and pumps chemotherapeutic drugs out of the cells. Recently we have demonstrated that cholesterol- and sphingolipid-rich membrane microdomains (lipid rafts) appear to function as platforms for induction and regulation of several signaling cascades. Several proteins have been identified in lipid rafts, and P-gp is one of them. We hypothesize that anti-CD19 can prevent translocation of P-gp from lipid rafts, so that it is no longer active. Studies in progress support this hypothesis and results have important implications for treating drug resistant relapsed lymphomas. This project will involve studying the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying this effect.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:
Mark Lowe (1993)
Elizabeth Vaught (1995)
Sami Arslanlar (1996)
Blake Sanders (1997)

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