We have a number of exciting collaborations exploring the regulation of cell survival and function.

One of these collaborations is with Dr. Mark D. Berry. With Dr. Berry, we are working on understanding on trace amines could alter breast cancer cell function or immune cell function. Trace amines are naturally occurring compounds that are known to regulate brain cell activity but we are finding that they may have roles in other cell types, as well.

This work is funded by BHCRI and NSERC.

Pitts MS, McShane JN, Hoener MC, Christian SL*, and Berry MD* (2019) TAAR1 levels and sub-cellular distribution are cell line but not breast cancer subtype-specific. Histochemistry and Cell Biology. 152(2):155-166

Christian SL* and Berry MD* (2018) Trace amine-associated receptors as novel therapeutic targets for immunomodulatory disorders. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 9:680. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00680.

 

We also have an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Robert Brown on the role of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in breast cancer. LPL is an enzyme that processes lipoproteins to provide energy to cells. So far, we have found that LPL hydrolysis products affect cell growth and secretion of specific cytokines in a cell type-dependent manner.

Bavis, MM, Nicholas, AM, Tobin, AJ, Christian, SL Brown, RJ. (2023). The Breast Cancer Microenvironment and Lipoprotein Lipase: Another Negative Notch for a Beneficial Enzyme? FEBS Open Bio

Tobin AJ, Noel NP, Christian SL, and Brown RJ (2021) Lipoprotein lipase hydrolysis products induce pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in triple-negative breast cancer cells. BMC Research Notes. 14:315.