BIO

As a junior biochemistry major at Florida State University, Rachel (Rene) is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Biochemistry with a focus in cancer biology. Her research was performed at the University of Puerto Rico as part of a chemistry REU. Rachel (Rene) has a passion for breast cancer research and advocating for women's health. She recently presented this research at DiscoverBMB 2024, a conference held by the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB).

Basonuclin-1 in Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Tumor Suppressor or Oncogene?

Abstract

Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) is an aggressive and lethal cancer often diagnosed at later stages. Novel therapeutics for IBC depend on discovering more about the molecular signature of the disease. While analyzing RNA-seq data sets regarding transcription factors in both IBC and non-IBC cell line, SUM149PT, a triple-negative breast cancer cell line was found to have the highest RNA expression of basonuclin-1 (BNC1). While BNC1 has been previously associated with other cancers including breast cancer, extensive research has not gone into defining its role in triple-negative IBC. This study aimed to learn more about BNC1’s molecular signature, particularly in the context of triple-negative IBC. BNC1 was found to be primarily localized in the nucleus suggesting a potential role in gene regulation. Alterations in BNC1 expression have been found to have an impact on cell motility indicating an involvement with the migratory phenotype of SUM149. Our finding highlights BNC1 as a potential candidate for future investigations with the goal of developing therapeutics targeting BNC1.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Transcription Factors