Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

5 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Medicine

Bioluminescent Orthotopic Model of Pancreatic Cancer Progression

Ming G. Chai¹, Corina Kim-Fuchs^1,2, Eliane Angst², Erica K. Sloan^1,3

¹Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, ²Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, ³Cousins Center for Neuroimmunology, University of California Los Angeles

Improved understanding of pancreatic cancer biology is critically needed to enable the development of better therapeutic options to treat pancreatic cancer. To address this need, we demonstrate an orthotopic model of pancreatic cancer that permits non-invasive monitoring of cancer progression using in vivo bioluminescence imaging.

Chemistry

A Colorimetric Assay that Specifically Measures Granzyme B Proteolytic Activity: Hydrolysis of Boc-Ala-Ala-Asp-S-Bzl

Magdalena Hagn¹, Vivien R. Sutton¹, Joseph A. Trapani¹

¹Cancer Immunology Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

We describe a simple, quantitative colorimetric assay that specifically measures the proteolytic activity of human, mouse or rat Granzyme B (GzmB). This protocol can be easily adapted for determining protease activity of other granule serine proteases by the hydrolysis of other synthetic peptide substrates with an appropriate recognition sequence.

Biology

A Simple Bioassay for the Evaluation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

Steven A. Stacker¹, Michael M. Halford¹, Sally Roufail¹, Carol Caesar¹, Marc G. Achen¹

¹Tumour Angiogenesis Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

We describe a simple cell-based bioassay for detecting, quantifying and monitoring the activity of members of the vascular endothelial growth factor family of ligands. The assay uses chimeric receptors expressed in a factor-dependent cell line to provide a semi-quantitative or quantitative assessment of receptor binding and cross-linking by the ligand.

Medicine

Whole Genome Sequencing of Candida glabrata for Detection of Markers of Antifungal Drug Resistance

Chayanika Biswas^*1, Sharon C-A. Chen^*1,2,3, Catriona Halliday^1,2, Elena Martinez¹, Rebecca J. Rockett¹, Qinning Wang¹, Verlaine J. Timms¹, Rajat Dhakal¹, Rosemarie Sadsad¹, Karina J. Kennedy⁴, Geoffrey Playford^4,5, Deborah J. Marriott⁶, Monica A. Slavin⁷, Tania C. Sorrell^1,3, Vitali Sintchenko^1,2,3

¹Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology-Public Health, Westmead Hospital, ²Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, ICPMR, ³Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, ⁴Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canberra Hospital and Health Services, Australian National University Medical School, ⁵Infection Management Services, Australian National University Medical School, ⁶Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, St. Vincent's Hospital, ⁷Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

This study implemented whole genome sequencing for analysis of mutations in genes conferring antifungal drug resistance in Candida glabrata. C. glabrata isolates resistant to echinocandins, azoles and 5-flucytosine, were sequenced to illustrate the methodology. Susceptibility profiles of the isolates correlated with presence or absence of specific mutation patterns in genes.

Medicine

An In Vivo Mouse Model of Total Intravenous Anesthesia During Cancer Resection Surgery

Julia A. Dubowitz^1,2,3, Fabian Jost-Brinkmann^1,4,5, Alexandra I. Ziegler¹, Ryan D. Gillis¹, Bernhard Riedel^1,2,3,6, Erica K. Sloan^1,2

¹Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, ²Department of Anaesthesia, Division of Cancer Surgery, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, ³Department of Critical Care, Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, ⁴Medical Department, Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, ⁵Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, ⁶Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne

This paper describes a method for modeling total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) during cancer resection surgery in mice. The goal is to replicate key features of anesthesia delivery to patients with cancer. The method allows investigation of how anesthetic technique affects cancer recurrence after resection surgery.