Presenter(s): TJ Ekstrom
Faculty Mentor(s): Anne Zemper & Kate Walsh
Poster 6
Session: Sciences
Regulation of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling cascade is critical for cellular homeostasis. Disruption of EGFR control of cell migration and proliferation is seen in many types of cancer cells. The transmembrane protein, Leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains 1 (LRIG1) controls cellular growth via negative regulation of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases, including EGFR. LRIG1 functions as a tumor suppressor and its expression is often reduced in cancers. In vitro studies of LRIG1 expression could lead to new insights into its regulatory role in highly proliferative tissues like the colon. The colon is a dynamic organ where EGFR and its regulation by LRIG1 may be essential in maintaining homeostasis. The colonic cancer cell line Caco-2 will be used to overexpress LRIG1 and determine changes in EGFR signaling. To overexpress LRIG1, the cells were transfected using a constitutively expressed myc tagged LRIG1 plasmid and selected for using an antibiotic. A scratch assay was performed on cell lines to assess changes in cellular migration and proliferation behavior. An increase of LRIG1 protein in the transfected cells is expected to decrease migration and proliferation. The activity of proteins negatively regulated by LRIG1 within the EGFR signaling cascade including proteins such as pEGFR and pErk 1/2 will decrease as viewed by western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry. Successful manipulation of the Caco-2 cell line will create an in vitro tool to study LRIG1 and its correlation to colon homeostasis.