HJNO Mar/Apr 2019

32 mar / APR 2019  I  Healthcare Journal of New Orleans   Healthcare Briefs Research to Advance Cancer Therapy Research led by Suresh Alahari, PhD, the Fred Brazda Professor of Biochemistry and Molecu- lar Biology at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, has found a new role for a protein dis- covered by his lab in preventing the growth and spread of breast cancer. The results of the study, which could have a significant impact on cancer therapy, are published in the OnlineFirst section of the journal Cancer Research. Alahari discovered the novel protein, Nischa- rin, which is involved in a number of biological processes including the regulation of breast can- cer cell migration and movement. Although his lab has shown that Nischarin functions as a tumor suppressor, research continues to uncover new information that may lead to better treatments. In the current study, the research team inves- tigated Nischarin’s function in exosome release. Exosomes are nano-sized vesicles (fluid-filled sacs) containing proteins, genetic and other material involved in both physiological and path- ological processes. Tumor-derived exosomes contain various signaling messengers for intercel- lular communication involved in tumor progres- sion and metastasis of cancer. Tumor exosomes influence the interactions of various types of cells within the tumor microenvironment, regulating tumor development, progression, and metasta- sis. Primary tumors release exosomes that can enhance seeding and growth metastatic cancer cells. Among the researchers’ findings, Nischarin reg- ulates cell attachment and alters the properties of exosomes; exosomes from Nischarin-positive cells reduce breast cancer cell motility and adhe- sion, as well as tumor volume; Nischarin-positive cells release fewer exosomes, and cell survival is decreased; co-culturing breast cancer cells with Nischarin-positive exosomes decreases tumor growth and lung metastasis. “This novel role for the tumor suppressor Nis- charin not only increases our understanding of the exosome biology but can be translated to identifying new targets for modulating cancer metastasis,” noted Alahari. “Inhibition of the secretion of exosomes may serve as an effective treatment for cancer.” According to the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, which includes data from LSU Health New Orleans’ Louisiana Tumor Registry, breast cancer represented 15.3 percent of all new cancer cases and 6.7 percent of all cancer deaths in 2018. There were an estimated 266,120 new cases of breast cancer in the U.S. and an esti- mated 40,920 deaths. “It has been shown that exosomes can be developed as carriers for delivering drugs,” Ala- hari added. “Nischarin-expressing exosomes in combination with drugs will likely have very good therapeutic effect on breast cancer patients.” Other members of the LSU Health New Orleans research team were Drs. Mazvita Maziveyi and Shengli Dong in the School of Medicine’s Depart- ment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, as well as Dr. Donald Mercante in the School of Public Health’s Department of Biostatistics. The research team also included scientists from Cen- tral University of Punjab, Louisiana State Univer- sity, Wayne State University, Xavier University, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. The research was supported by funding from the Fred Brazda Foundation and LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine. Cardiovascular Institute of the South Treats PAD fromWrist Interventional cardiologists at Cardiovascular Institute of the South are performing radial-to- peripheral interventional procedures for the treat- ment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). A radial peripheral procedure allows the physi- cian to intervene on a blockage in the leg through access from the radial artery in the left wrist. This groundbreaking technique dramatically reduces bleeding and other complications while increas- ing patient comfort post-procedure. It also allows patients to go home just a couple of hours after the procedure.  “This is the final frontier in access for periph- eral intervention,” said Dr. Ankur Lodha, who performs the procedure in Lafayette. “Imag- ine the patient satisfaction and increased com- fort because they can go home an hour after the procedure. And while waiting, they can sit, relax, drink coffee, and check their email, rather than having to lie down.” Dr. David Homan, interventional cardiologist at CIS in Opelousas, said, “The more tools we have to treat peripheral arterial disease, the better. Uti- lizing the radial artery for treatment of PAD, sim- ilar to how I generally treat coronary artery dis- ease, is a great way to provide safe and successful treatment to the right patients.” “It’s amazing to be able to go from the wrist all the way down to the lower leg and open block- ages,” said Dr. Satish Gadi, CIS interventional car- diologist in Baton Rouge. “With this new technol- ogy, patients can literally walk off the operating bed, and it is incredible from a patient safety and satisfaction standpoint.” CIS utilizes the Diamondback 360® Extended Length Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy Device (OAD) from Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. (CSI®) to treat patients with PAD. This disease affects as many as 20 million Americans and is a circula- tory condition in which narrowed and hardened blood vessels reduce blood flow to the limbs and, if left untreated, could lead to limb amputation. Study Suggests Promising NewRX Target for Obesity and Diabetes Research led by Suresh Alahari, PhD, Fred Brazda Professor of Biochemistry and Microbiol- ogy at LSU Health New Orleans, suggests a novel protein may be a promising therapeutic target to treat or prevent metabolic disorders. The study also reported for the first time metabolic distinc- tions between male and female mice. The find- ings are published in the December 2018 issue of International Journal of Obesity. The researchers conducted studies in both a mouse model and in human tissue to advance understanding of the role of Nischarin, a novel Satish Gadi, MD