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Tumor Biology
Dr. Iris Edwards

Iris J. Edwards, PhD

Associate Professor of Pathology (Tumor Biology)
Tel: (336) 716-2677
Fax: (336) 716-6279
iedwards@wfubmc.edu

Education:
  • Undergraduate: High Point University, BA 1984
  • Postgraduate: Bowman Gray School of Medicine, PhD, 1989 
Interests:
  • Teaching: Atherosclerosis, Arterial Connective Tissue Metabolism, Proteoglycans
  • Research: Cell-Cell and Cell-Matrix Interactions; Proteoglycans; Proteoglycan-Lipoprotein Interactions; Atherosclerosis, Prostate Cancer, Breast Cancer) 
Current Research: 
    • Anti-cancer mechanisms of dietary omega -3 fatty acids
    • Proteoglycans in breast and prostate cancer
    • Regulation of syndecan 1 by omega-3 fatty acids
    • Syndecan 1 mediated apoptosis 

The focus of my research is the investigation of dietary fatty acids as tumor preventive or promoting agents.  In addition, my interest is in defining a role for proteoglycans in breast and prostate cancer. Our studies are testing the hypothesis that cell surface proteoglycans are important mediators of the tumorigenic properties of a cell and that proteoglycan metabolism is a level of regulation of the tumorigenic potential of cells that is modified by n-3 dietary fatty acids. 

Using LDL from animals fed different dietary fats as a mechanism of fatty acid delivery, studies are being conducted to examine the effects of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids on proteoglycan synthesis by non-transformed and transformed human mammary cells and to define the role of proteoglycans in the proliferative and invasive properties of human breast cancer cells.  Our prostate cancer studies use a mouse model in which the tumor suppressor Pten is eliminated specifically in the prostate gland.  This allows spontaneous and rapid development of prostate cancer in this model. 

We are studying effects of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids-enriched diets on tumor progression in these animals with particular emphasis on n-3 PUFA induced changes in proteoglycans and tumor-protective mechanisms that are impacted by these changes.

Recent Publications:

Chen YQ, Edwards IJ, Kridel SJ, Thornburg T, Berquin IM. Dietary fat-gene interactions in cancer. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2007 Dec;26(3-4):535-51.

Berquin IM, Min Y, Wu R, Wu J, Perry D, Cline JM, Thomas MJ, Thornburg T, Kulik G, Smith A, Edwards IJ, D'Agostino R, Zhang H, Wu H, Kang JX, Chen YQ. Modulation of prostate cancer genetic risk by omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. J Clin Invest. 2007 Jul;117(7):1866-75.

Chen YQ, Berquin IM, Daniel LW, Edwards IJ, O'Flaherty JT, Thomas MJ, Tooze JA, Wykle B.  Omega-3 fatty acids and cancer risk. JAMA. 2006 Jul 19;296(3):282; author reply 282.

Sun H, Berquin IM, Edwards IJ. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids regulate syndecan-1 expression in human breast cancer cells. Cancer Res. 2005 May 15;65(10):4442-7.

Edwards IJ, Berquin IM, Sun H, O'Flaherty JT, Daniel LW, Thomas MJ, Rudel LL, Wykle RL, Chen YQ. Differential effects of delivery of omega-3 fatty acids to human cancer cells by low-density lipoproteins versus albumin. Clin Cancer Res. 2004 Dec 15;10(24):8275-83.

Edwards IJ, Wagner JD, Vogl-Willis CA, Litwak KN, Cefalu WT. Arterial heparan sulfate is negatively associated with hyperglycemia and atherosclerosis in diabetic monkeys. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2004 Apr 29;3(1):6.

Vogl-Willis CA, Edwards IJ. High-glucose-induced structural changes in the heparan sulfate proteoglycan, perlecan, of cultured human aortic endothelial cells. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2004 Apr 7;1672(1):36-45.

Vogl-Willis CA, Edwards IJ. High glucose-induced alterations in subendothelial matrix perlecan leads to increased monocyte binding. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2004 May;24(5):858-63.

Edwards IJ, Terry JG, Bell-Farrow AD, Cefalu WT. Improved glucose control decreases the interaction of plasma low-density lipoproteins with arterial proteoglycans. Metabolism. 2002 Oct;51(10):1223-1229.

Edwards IJ, Rudel LL, Terry JG, Kemnitz JW, Weindruch R, Zaccaro DJ, Cefalu WT. Caloric restriction lowers plasma lipoprotein (a) in male but not female rhesus monkeys. Exp Gerontol. 2001 Aug;36(8):1413-8.

Cefalu WT, Terry JG, Thomas MJ, Morgan TM, Edwards IJ, Rudel LL, Kemnitz JW, Weindruch R. In vitro oxidation of low-density lipoprotein in two species of nonhuman primates subjected to caloric restriction. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2000 Jul;55(7):B355-61.

Cefalu WT, Wagner JD, Bell-Farrow AD, Edwards IJ, Terry JG, Weindruch R, Kemnitz JW. Influence of caloric restriction on the development of atherosclerosis in nonhuman primates: progress to date. Toxicol Sci. 1999 Dec;52(2 Suppl):49-55.

Edwards IJ, Wagner JD, Litwak KN, Rudel LL, Cefalu WT. Glycation of plasma low density lipoproteins increases interaction with arterial proteoglycans. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 1999 Oct;46(1):9-18.

Edwards IJ, Rudel LL, Terry JG, Kemnitz JW, Weindruch R, Cefalu WT. Caloric restriction in rhesus monkeys reduces low density lipoprotein interaction with arterial proteoglycans. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1998 Nov;53(6):B443-8.

Manning JM, Edwards IJ, Wagner WD, Wagner JD, Adams MR, Parks JS. Effects of contraceptive estrogen and progestin on the atherogenic potential of plasma LDLs in cynomolgus monkeys. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1997 Jul;17(7):1216-23.

Manning JM, Campos G, Edwards IJ, Wagner WD, Wagner JD, Adams MR, Parks JS. Effects of hormone replacement modalities on low density lipoprotein composition and distribution in ovariectomized cynomolgus monkeys. Atherosclerosis. 1996 Apr 5;121(2):217-29.

Edwards IJ, Xu H, Obunike JC, Goldberg IJ, Wagner WD. Differentiated macrophages synthesize a heparan sulfate proteoglycan and an oversulfated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan that bind lipoprotein lipase. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1995 Mar;15(3):400-9.

Manning JM, Gebre AK, Edwards IJ, Wagner WD, Rudel LL, Parks JS. Dietary polyunsaturated fat decreases interaction between low density lipoproteins and arterial proteoglycans. Lipids. 1994 Sep;29(9):635-41.