Abstract 2320 Broken PKC – Understanding Cancer

Protein Kinase C (PKC) is a family of enzymes responsible for the regulation of cell growth through maintenance of phosphorylation and apoptosis in mammalian somatic cells. These enzymes are highly regulated and play a pivotal role in homeostasis; therefore, dysregulation of these proteins can lead to a variety of medical disorders, such as cancer. A PKC fusion protein results from the translocation of an incorrect regulatory domain to its own catalytic domain, which can cause loss of function in PKC and lead to excessive cell proliferation and cancer. This translocation minimizes the success of the regulatory domain in preventing phosphorylation by blocking the auto-inhibitive components of the cell, which leads to overexpression of substrate peptides and increased cell proliferation. The Marshfield High School SMART Team, with support from 3D Molecular Designs, used Jmol 3D modeling and printing technology to model the catalytic domain of the PKCι isoform, to model the dysregulation of PKC and its role in cancer. An understanding of the structure of the PKC enzymes and the effects of its fusions can lead to potential treatments. 3D Molecular Designs.