Philippa Malko

• MSci Biomedical Sciences
• Investigating a Role for GATA2 in the DNA Damage Response in Prostate Cancer

The primary target of prostate cancer (PC) therapy is the androgen receptor (AR) as it is established that this protein drives cancer progression. Previous work has identified a protein known as GATA2 that promotes activity of the AR and may be important for enabling the cell to counteract the cancer cell-killing effects of both radiation- and chemo-therapies.

In this research project we reduced GATA2 levels in a PC cell line to suppress the activity of the DNA damage response, necessary for tumour survival. This alteration to cellular repair mechanisms resulted in an apparent decrease in the expression of several genes involved in DNA repair, as well as an increase in the persistence of DNA damage in response to ionising radiation.

This work identified a role for GATA2 in the proliferation of cancerous prostate cells, providing potential for the development of effective treatments for castrate resistant PC using GATA2 inhibition.

Funding Source: Newcastle University

Supervisor: Dr Luke Gaughan