Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-10-2025
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Biomedical Engineering
First Advisor
Vitor Pomin
Second Advisor
Noa Valcarcel
Third Advisor
Samir Ross
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological malignancy, with high recurrence rates driven by chemotherapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs). Current therapeutics targeting Notch signaling to inhibit CSC formation have yet to demonstrate clinical benefit and pose risk of gastrointestinal toxicities. Here, we report that treatment with fucosylated chondroitin sulfates (FucCS) inhibited Notch signaling activation and spheroid formation in OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells. Sulfation and fucosylation were shown to be key structural requirements of this anti-cancer activity. Moreover, this inhibition was synergistic with suppression of Notch glycosylation by Radical Fringe knockout. Preliminary experiments to conjugate FucCS to a maleimide linker in preparation for future attachment to scFvC9 antibody for tumor-specific targeting require further studies to confirm covalent attachment. Marine compounds provide advantageous drug candidates due to relatively low production costs, wide availability and low cytotoxicity, establishing marine-derived FucCS as a promising tool for the development of novel anti-ovarian cancer therapeutics.
Recommended Citation
Beiner, Daniella, "Anti-Cancer Activity of Marine-Derived Fucosylated Chondroitin Sulfates in Ovarian Cancer Cell Spheroid Formation and Notch Signaling Inhibition" (2025). Honors Theses. 3221.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3221
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