Booth Id:
CELL009
Category:
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Year:
2019
Finalist Names:
Reddy, Nina (School: Satellite High School)
Abstract:
Cancer cells have a homing ability and are able to track cells of their own kind. Because of this
constant communication and close proximity, cancer cells could be used as targeted weapons that
deliver treatments to impede their survival. CRISPR may be used to design a small population of
genetically engineered cancer cells that could produce harmful agents to other circulating cancer
cells. In designing the engineered cancer cells, IRF7 was activated using CRISPRa. IRF7 is
commonly expressed on breast cancer cells and is involved in the production of Interferon 7, a
protein observed to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
In order to establish the IRF7 activation, a modified dCas9-VPR cell line was created by
transducing the dCas9 protein through lentiviral delivery. After the CRISPR engineered cells
were produced, two control groups (MCF-7 and dCas9) and a CRISPR group were made.
Neutral red was used to stain CRISPR cells to differentiate and monitor them. An MTT assay
was utilized over four consecutive days to determine cell proliferation and viability.
The CRISPR cells maintained interaction with the cancer cells in culture when observed under
the microscope. Six days after the initial co-culture, the CRISPR group had statistically
significant lowered growth rates compared with both control groups (p <0.05). Additionally, the
CRISPR group had the lowest total optical density counts for all the MTT days. There could be
potential in using cancer cells as a targeted treatment approach in attacking the inner workings of
cancer development.