Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Epithelial ovarian cancer has the greatest death to incidence ratio of all gynecological cancers in Canada. The FoxO, TGF-β, and Hippo signalling pathways are implicated in ovarian tumourigenesis; ventricular zone-expressed PH domain protein (Veph1) may be a novel modulator of these pathways. This thesis addresses the objectives of determining the physiological murine tissue expression of Veph1A/B isoforms, and establishing the effect of Veph1 expression on ovarian tumourigenesis. Veph1A and Veph1B transcripts were identified in whole embryos; whereas, only Veph1A transcripts were present in adult tissues. Veph1 expression significantly reduced tumour growth rate in a xenograft mouse model. This was associated with reduced microvessel density and increased necrotic tumour area with no effect on proliferation index. This study suggests that Veph1 may be involved in angiogenesis. Future investigation regarding the effect of Veph1 expression on metastases and ascites formation will be necessary to establish its role in ovarian tumourigenesis and survival.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Thomasina Spybey
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2675631705