Research Interest

The goal of my lab’s research is to investigate the contribution extracellular (exosomal) survivin makes to the resistance of cancers to stress-induced cell death in the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, we are identifying the functional role of survivin in promoting cancer cell survival in the presence of stress as well as investigating the functional significance of exosomal release of survivin from stressed cancer cells. The paradigm shift to focus less on the autonomous functions of the cancer cell and more on the heterotypic interactions that go on in the tumor microenvironment is a niche that allows my lab to define itself in a manner that doesn’t directly compete with established survivin investigators.  We have thus laid the groundwork for our research by developing effective measures of characterizing the release of survivin to the extracellular space, the uptake of survivin into cancer cells and surrounding non-cancer cells, and its proliferative and therapy resistance-inducing mechanisms.

Web Presence:

Lab: http://www.wallcancerresearchlaboratory.com

Center for Health Disparities: http://www.llu.edu/chdmm/nwall.html

Selected Publications

1. Khan S, Jutzy JMS, Valenzuela MMA, Turay D, Aspe JR, Ashok A, Mirshahidi S, Mercola D, Lilly MB, Wall NR.  Plasma-Derived Exosomal Survivin, a Plausible Biomarker for Early Detection of Prostate Cancer. PLoS One, 2012. In Press.

2. Khan S, Jutzy JMS, Aspe JR,Valenzuela MMA, Park J, Turay D, Wall NR. The Application of Membrane Vesicles for Cancer Therapy. Book 3, Advances in Cancer Therapy, InTech Publishing 2011, ISBN 978-953-307-703-1.  http://www.intechopen.com/articles/show/title/the-application-of-membrane-vesicles-for-cancer-therapy.

3. Wall NR. Colorectal cancer screening using protected microRNAs. J Gastrointestinal Oncology, 2: 206-207, 2011.

4. Jutzy JMS, Khan S, Valenzuela MMA, Milford TM, Payne KJ, Wall NR. Tumor-released survivin inhibits T cell proliferation and alters CD4+ T cell cytokine profiles to induce a pro-tumor environment. Cancer Microenvironment, 2012 Feb 10. [Epub ahead of print].

5. Khan S, Jutzy JMS, Aspe JR, McGregor D, Neidigh JW, Wall NR.  Survivin is released from cancer cells via exosomes. Apoptosis, 16(1): 1-12, 2011.

6. Odumosu O, Payne K, Baez I, Jutzy J, Wall N, Langridge W. Suppression of Dendritic Cell Activation by Diabetes Autoantigens Linked to the Cholera Toxin B Subunit. Immunobiology, 16(4): 447-456, 2011.

7. Aspe JR and Wall NR. Survivin-T34A: molecular mechanism and therapeutic potential. OncoTargets and Therapy, 3:247-254, 2010.

8. Rios SS, Andrade RV, Pereira RW, Wall NR, Bahjri K, Caldas E, Cavalcante L, Figueiredo FC. Microsatellite instability in endometrial polyps. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol., 153 (2): 193-197, 2010.

9. Asumen MG, Ifeacho TV Cockerham L, Pfandl C, Wall NR. Dynamic changes to survivin subcellular localization are initiated by DNA damage. OncoTargets and Therapy, 3:129-137, 2010.

10. Galloway NR, Aspe JR, Sellers C, Wall NR. Enhanced antitumor effect of combined gemcitabine and proton radiation in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Pancreas 38(7) 782-790, 2009.

11. Mediavilla-Varela M, Pacheco FJ, Almaguel F, Perez J, Sahakian E, Daniels TR, Leoh LS, Padilla A, Wall NR, Lilly MB, De Leon M, and Casiano CA. Docetaxel-induced prostate cancer cell death involves concomitant activation of caspase and lysosomal pathways and is attenuated by LEDGF/p75. Mol Cancer, August 28; 8(68), 2009.

12. Neidigh J, Darwanto A, Williams A, Wall NR, Sowers L.  Cloning and characterization of Rhodotorula glutinis thymine hydroxylase. Chemical Research in Toxicology 22(5):885-893, 2009.

13. Khan S, Aspe JR, Asumen MG, Almaguel F, Odumosu O, Acevedo-Martinez S, De Leon M, Langridge W, Wall NR.  Extracellular, cell-permeable survivin inhibits apoptosis while promoting proliferative and metastatic potential. British Journal of Cancer 100(7):1073-1086, 2009.

14. Parrish YK, Baez I, Milford TA, Benitez A, Galloway N, Rogerio JW, Sahakian E, Kagoda M, Huang G, Hao Q, Sevilla Y, Barsky LW, Zielinska E, Price MA, Wall NR, Dovat S, Payne KJ. IL-7 Dependence in Human B Lymphopoiesis Increases During Progression of Ontogeny from Cord Blood to Bone Marrow. The Journal of Immunology 182(7): 4255-4266, 2009.