Presenter: Ceanne Elliott
Authors: Ceanne Elliott
Faculty Advisor: Richard Warner
Institution: Dixie State University
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is considered one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer and has a poorer prognosis than other breast cancers, due to the absence of estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors, which makes TNBC difficult to treat. Currently, TNBC is treated by a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy—there is a need for more treatments. One way to target TNBC is through attacking its metabolism of increased glucose uptake utilizing drug combination treatments. Rapaglutin A is a glucose uptake inhibitor that has been shown to inhibit glucose uptake without inhibiting cell proliferation in a triple negative breast cancer cell line called MDA-MB-231. This glucose inhibition desensitizes the cells and allows another drug to eradicate the cells in a drug combination treatment. This project aims to analyze previously screened drugs (Rifapentine, Epinephrine Bitartrate, and Pentamidine Isethionate) for synergy with Rapaglutin A on MDA-MB-231 cells. We are currently in the process of culturing the MDA-MB-231 cells to be treated with the drug combinations. The next steps will include an Alamar Blue Assay, which will be used for the drug treatments and measuring the cell viability. The interactions between the drugs will be determined through calculating the Combination Index (CI) values, which shows if the drug combinations are additive, synergistic, or antagonistic. Using Compusyn software, the CI values will be calculated, as well as a dose-response curve and map.