Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2003

Mentor: Hsieh, Jer-Tsong
Department: Urology
Room number: J8-144
Mail Code: 9110
Phone number: 8-3997
E-mail: JT.Hsieh@UTSouthwestern.edu
Project title: Evaluation of CAR gene status in bladder cancer specimens

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):0602-328

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)

Brief Description of Project:

CAR, coxsackie and adenovirus receptor, is a high affinity receptor for recombinant adenovirus commonly used in gene therapy trial. The heterogeneous expression of CAR is detected in several cancer types, including transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) (Cancer Res., 59, 325, 1999 and Cancer Res, 60, 5031, 2000). The Down-regulation of CAR is often seen in TCC lesions but not in adjacent normal tissue, which suggests that CAR may play a pathophysiologic role in the progression of TCC. Nevertheless, increased CAR gene expression can inhibit the in vitro and in vivo growth of TCC cells, indicating that CAR is a tumor inhibitor in TCC cells (Cancer Res., 61, 6592, 2001). Therefore, in this project, we are planning to use immunostaining technique and genetic analysis to evaluate the status of CAR from TCC specimens.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

1997 Eric Smith (Medical student)
1999 Nazeer Khanani (Medical student)
2000 Linya Yang (Medical student)

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