Date of Award
2008
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Program
Physiology
Supervisor
Dr. Moshmi Bhattacharya
Second Advisor
Dr. Andy Babwah
Third Advisor
Cindy Pape
Abstract
The lipid molecule lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) plays a critical role in cancer, stimulating cancer cell proliferation, survival, migration and invasion. Recently, LPA has been shown to enhance the metastasis of breast cancer cells to bone. However, the mechanisms by which LPA receptor signaling regulates cell migration and invasion of breast cancer cells were unclear and was the focus of this study. We show that breast cancer cell lines and tissue aberrantly express LPA receptors, β-arrestin, and Ral G proteins compared to normal mammry epithelial cells and tissue. Our studies provide strong evidence for LPAi receptor∕Gi⅛-signalιng as crucial mediators of LPA-induced breast cancer cell migration and invasion. Furthermore, our novel findings indicate a role for β-arrestin and Ral in regulating these processes and as potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of cancer.
Recommended Citation
Li, Timothy Tsz-Tim, "THE ROLE OF BETA-ARRESTIN AND RAL SIGNALING IN Lysophosphatidic acid-mediated breast cancer cell migration And INVASION" (2008). Digitized Theses. 4441.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/4441