Research Units at FOP Molecular Oncology Research Unit

Molecular Oncology Research Unit

Research Unit’s Supervisor: Prof. Y. Luqmani

Research Group: Y. Luqmani, M. Khajah, M. Al Soraj, A. Al- Romaiyan, Zainab Taqi, A. Al Ateyah, R. Taaba, L. Adi

Research focus areas:

• Identification of signaling pathways operating in ER-ve cells
• Determinants of EMT and their contribution to tumour progression
• Reversal of EMT to restore endocrine sensitivity
• Analysis of miRNA and their involvement in EMT
• Extracellular vesicles as mediators to modify cell phenotype
• The role of extracellular pH in modifying cell morphology and behaviour of ER silenced cells: mechanisms controlling membrane blebbing
• Metabolic differences between ER+ve and ER silenced cells; effect of anaerobic conditions

Areas of Collaboration:

• In vivo studies in nude mice to determine metastatic potential of ER silenced cells; imaging using luciferase tagged vectors
• Evaluation of novel synthetic or natural products for anti-cancer activity
• Atomic force microscopy to analyze extracellular vesicles
• Bioinformatics analyses

Selected publications

• Al Saleh S, Al Mulla F, Luqmani YA (2011) Estrogen Receptor Silencing Induces Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Human Breast Cancer Cells. PLoS ONE 6 (6): e20610. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0020610
• Al Saleh S, Sharaf LH and Luqmani YA (2011). Signalling pathways involved in endocrine resistance in breast cancer and associations with epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Int. J Oncol. 38, 1197-1217.
• Khajah MA, Al Saleh S, Mathew PM, Luqmani YA (2012) Differential Effect of Growth Factors on Invasion and Proliferation of Endocrine Resistant Breast Cancer Cells. PLoS ONE 7(7): e41847. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0041847.
• Khajah M, Al Mohri I, Merlin P and Luqmani YA (2013). Extracellular alkaline pH leads to increased metastatic potential of estrogen receptor silenced endocrine resistant breast cancer cells. PLoS ONE 8(10): e76327. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0076327.
• Abaza M & Luqmani YA. (2013). The influence of pH and hypoxia on tumor metastasis. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 13(10), 1229-1242.
• Khajah M, Mathew P, Alam-Eldin N and Luqmani YA (2015). Bleb formation is induced by alkaline but not acidic pH in estrogen receptor slinced breast cancer cells. Int. J Oncol. 46, 1685-1698.