Browsing by Author "Wang, J"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Augmented Beta rectangular regression models: A Bayesian perspective
    (Biometrical Journal, 2016) Wang, J; Luo, S
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemRestricted
    c-Myc is required for maintenance of glioma cancer stem cells.
    (PLoS One, 2008) Wang, J; Wang, H; Li, Z; Wu, Q; Lathia, JD; McLendon, RE; Hjelmeland, AB; Rich, JN
    BACKGROUND: Malignant gliomas rank among the most lethal cancers. Gliomas display a striking cellular heterogeneity with a hierarchy of differentiation states. Recent studies support the existence of cancer stem cells in gliomas that are functionally defined by their capacity for extensive self-renewal and formation of secondary tumors that phenocopy the original tumors. As the c-Myc oncoprotein has recognized roles in normal stem cell biology, we hypothesized that c-Myc may contribute to cancer stem cell biology as these cells share characteristics with normal stem cells. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Based on previous methods that we and others have employed, tumor cell populations were enriched or depleted for cancer stem cells using the stem cell marker CD133 (Prominin-1). We characterized c-Myc expression in matched tumor cell populations using real time PCR, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Here we report that c-Myc is highly expressed in glioma cancer stem cells relative to non-stem glioma cells. To interrogate the significance of c-Myc expression in glioma cancer stem cells, we targeted its expression using lentivirally transduced short hairpin RNA (shRNA). Knockdown of c-Myc in glioma cancer stem cells reduced proliferation with concomitant cell cycle arrest in the G(0)/G(1) phase and increased apoptosis. Non-stem glioma cells displayed limited dependence on c-Myc expression for survival and proliferation. Further, glioma cancer stem cells with decreased c-Myc levels failed to form neurospheres in vitro or tumors when xenotransplanted into the brains of immunocompromised mice. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings support a central role of c-Myc in regulating proliferation and survival of glioma cancer stem cells. Targeting core stem cell pathways may offer improved therapeutic approaches for advanced cancers.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Citizen science to address the global issue of bird–window collisions
    (Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2023-11-01) Loss, SR; Li, BV; Horn, LC; Mesure, MR; Zhu, L; Brys, TG; Dokter, AM; Elmore, JA; Gibbons, RE; Homayoun, TZ; Horton, KG; Inglet, P; Jones, BJ; Keys, T; Lao, S; Loss, SS; Parkins, KL; Prestridge, HL; Riggs, GJ; Riding, CS; Sweezey, KRI; Vallery, AC; Van Doren, BM; Wang, J; Zuzula, C; Farnsworth, A
    Bird–window collisions (BWCs) are a major threat to avian populations, annually causing up to one billion bird deaths in the US alone and untold numbers of fatalities worldwide. Until recently, there has been limited institutional and governmental recognition of this issue and few coordinated, national-level efforts to address it. To fill this need, citizen-science campaigns have stepped in to generate scientific information about BWCs, raise public awareness, and advocate for policy and actions to reduce collisions. We review the BWC issue and showcase how citizen-science programs in multiple countries have achieved these outcomes. Additional citizen-driven successes in addressing BWCs are possible if key constraints are overcome, including funding limitations and challenges of proactively engaging stakeholders who can reduce BWCs at scale. Addressing this global conservation issue will also require building upon the recent increase in attention to BWCs by government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, commercial entities, and professional scientists.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Genetic variants in the TEP1 gene are associated with prostate cancer risk and recurrence.
    (Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis, 2015-12) Gu, C; Li, Q; Zhu, Y; Qu, Y; Zhang, G; Wang, M; Yang, Y; Wang, J; Jin, L; Wei, Q; Ye, D
    BACKGROUND: Telomere-related genes play an important role in carcinogenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). It is not fully understood whether genetic variations in telomere-related genes are associated with development and progression in PCa patients. METHODS: Six potentially functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of three key telomere-related genes were evaluated in 1015 PCa cases and 1052 cancer-free controls, to test their associations with risk of PCa. Among 426 PCa patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP), the prognostic significance of the studied SNPs on biochemical recurrence (BCR) was also assessed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression model. The relative telomere lengths (RTLs) were measured in peripheral blood leukocytes using real-time PCR in the RP patients. RESULTS: TEP1 rs1760904 AG/AA genotypes were significantly associated with a decreased risk of PCa (odds ratio (OR): 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64-0.93, P=0.005) compared with the GG genotype. By using median RTL as a cutoff level, RP patients with TEP1 rs1760904 AG/AA genotypes tended to have a longer RTL than those with the GG genotype (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.04-2.30, P=0.031). A significant interaction between TEP1 rs1713418 and age in modifying PCa risk was observed (P=0.005). After adjustment for clinicopathologic risk factors, the presence of heterozygotes or rare homozygotes of TEP1 rs1760904 and TNKS2 rs1539042 were associated with BCR in the RP cohorts (hazard ratio: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.36-0.79, P=0.002 and hazard ratio: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.07-2.48, P=0.017, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that genetic variations in the TEP1 gene may be biomarkers for risk of PCa and BCR after RP.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Supercurrent in the quantum Hall regime.
    (Science (New York, N.Y.), 2016-05) Amet, F; Ke, CT; Borzenets, IV; Wang, J; Watanabe, K; Taniguchi, T; Deacon, RS; Yamamoto, M; Bomze, Y; Tarucha, S; Finkelstein, G
    A promising route for creating topological states and excitations is to combine superconductivity and the quantum Hall (QH) effect. Despite this potential, signatures of superconductivity in the QH regime remain scarce, and a superconducting current through a QH weak link has been challenging to observe. We demonstrate the existence of a distinct supercurrent mechanism in encapsulated graphene samples contacted by superconducting electrodes, in magnetic fields as high as 2 tesla. The observation of a supercurrent in the QH regime marks an important step in the quest for exotic topological excitations, such as Majorana fermions and parafermions, which may find applications in fault-tolerant quantum computing.