DF/HCC Program Affiliation

Breast Cancer

Research Abstract

My research goal is to identify novel predictive markers and therapeutic targets in breast cancer and translate these discoveries into clinically useful reagents. To accomplish this goal, I have established an ongoing collaboration with Dr Kornelia Polyak to use SAGE (Serial Analysis of Gene Expression) to identify genes important in the interaction between cancerous breast epithelial cells and tumor associated stromal cells. This technology has yielded a number of potential therapeutic targets including two chemokine receptor/ chemokine ligand pairs as well as several cathepsin family members, the expression of which is markedly dysregulated in either tumor epithelial cells and/or tumor associated stromal cells. We are currently validating these proteins as potential targets through the use of small molecule inhibitors in in vitro and in vivo models of tumor-stromal interaction. In addition to this ongoing project, I am directing or co-directing several clinical trials with the aim of identifying novel molecular predictors of response to conventional chemotherapeutic and molecularly targeted therapies.

Publications

• Krop IE.Chemokine signaling in gliomas: prognostic factor, therapeutic target or both?.Cancer Biol Ther 2006 Aug;5(8):1039-41.
  16931903
• Krop I, Player A, Tablante A, Taylor-Parker M, Lahti-Domenici J, Fukuoka J, Batra SK, Papadopoulos N, Richards WG, Sugarbaker DJ, Wright RL, Shim J, Stamey TA, Sellers WR, Loda M, Meyerson M, Hruban R, Jen J, Polyak K.Frequent HIN-1 Promoter Methylation a
  15383627
• Krop I, Maguire P, Lahti-Domenici J, Lodeiro G, Richardson A, Johannsdottir HK, Nevanlinna H, Borg A, Gelman R, Barkardottir RB, Lindblom A, Polyak K.Lack of HIN-1 methylation in BRCA1-linked and "BRCA1-like" breast tumors.Cancer Res 2003 May 1;
  12727813
• Porter DA, Krop IE, Nasser S, Sgroi D, Kaelin CM, Marks JR, Riggins G, Polyak K.A SAGE (serial analysis of gene expression) view of breast tumor progression.Cancer Res 2001 Aug 1;61(15):5697-702.
  11479200
• Krop IE, Sgroi D, Porter DA, Lunetta KL, LeVangie R, Seth P, Kaelin CM, Rhei E, Bosenberg M, Schnitt S, Marks JR, Pagon Z, Belina D, Razumovic J, Polyak K.HIN-1, a putative cytokine highly expressed in normal but not cancerous mammary epithelial cells.Pro
  11481438