Abstract

RPPAs for High-throughput Functional Genomics Screens

Ines Block, PostDoctoral Researcher, Institute for Molecular Medicine (Denmark)

So-called breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) represent a rare, stem cell-like population within breast tumors and are thought to be responsible for therapy resistance and metastatic spread. Recent studies indicated that normal breast cancer cells can convert to BCSCs either by introduction of certain genes or as part of a naturally occurring process. Accordingly, a comprehensive knowledge about genes and miRNAs contributing to the conversion process is critical and may lead to the identification of novel drug targets for improved therapies. Systematic high-throughput screens, in which every human gene or miRNA can be separately silenced via siRNAs or a selective miRNA inhibitor, respectively, offer the potential to identify drug targets for selective BCSC elimination. Elimination of these cells can either include direct killing or conversion to less aggressive non-BCSCs. For quantifying conversion events, analyses of BCSC markers via reverse phase protein arrays (RPPAs) would be an appropriate tool. We will report on the present state of our efforts to establish the RPPA-based detection of BCSC markers from high-throughput screens.