BMB Cancer Bio Exam 2
Necrotic cells in tumors are likely located this far (or further) from the nearest blood vesselA. 0.002 mm.B. 0.02 mm.C. 0.2 mm.D. 2 mm.E. 20 mm.
0.2 mm
Blood flow patterns play a significant role in (choose all that apply) Breast cancer metastasis to bone Prostate cancer metastasis to the bone Pancreatic metastasis to the liver Colon cancer metastasis to the liver Breast cancer metastasis to the brain Breast cancer metastasis to the lungs
?
Which of the following is FALSE about how cancer cells acquire nutrients?A) Expression of tumor suppressors (ex. pRb) promotes increased uptake of glutamineB) Oncogenic Ras can promote macropinocytosisC) The PI3K/Akt pathway promotes increased uptake of glucoseD) Softer cancer cells may "eat" stiffer ones
A
Which of the following is NOT a strategy cancer cells are likely to use to support high rates of biosynthesis?A) Decrease lactate productionB) Increase flux through glycolysisC) Increase flux into the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP)D)Increase flux out of the citric acid cycle towards fatty acid synthesis
A
Which of the following statements is TRUE? (choose all that apply) A tumor's tendency to metastasize to particular tissues may reflect the tumor cells' ability to adapt to the microenvironment within those tissues. Once a tumor cell makes it out of the circulation into a secondary site, a metastatic tumor is likely to form Colon cancer most frequently metastasizes to the bone. The circulatory layout may strongly influence the location of metastases. Breast metastatic tumors in bone express different genes than breast metastatic tumors in lung.
A tumor's tendency to metastasize to particular tissues may reflect the tumor cells' ability to adapt to the microenvironment within those tissues. The circulatory layout may strongly influence the location of metastases. Breast metastatic tumors in bone express different genes than breast metastatic tumors in lung.
Matrix metalloproteinases A. Must be inhibited for a cell to become invasive.B. Degrade components of the extracellular matrix.C. Are down-regulated in most cancers.D. A and C.E. None of the above.
B
The growth of microscopic metastases into macroscopic masses is known asA. InvasionB. ColonizationC. IntravasationD. ExtravasationE. None of the Above
B
The response of cells to mechanical stimuli...A) Is important for tumor progression by not tissue developmentB) Can increase invasion and proliferationC) Is initiated exclusively through integrinsD) Is not relevant to cancer therapy because all cells in the body have a physical environment
B
Which of the following is NOT likely to be a way that stiffness influences tumor progression?A) Influencing cell invasion out of the primary tumor siteB) Promoting migration of cells along a gradient of decreasing stiffnessC) Promoting loss of polarity and abnormal tissue structureD)Promoting proliferation
B
Which of the following is NOT true of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)? A. They degrade the extracellular matrix surrounding tumor cells.B. They inhibit tumor cell invasion.C. They can cleave collagen.D. They can activate growth factors.E. All of the above.
B
Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. Senescent cells can be induced to proliferate.B. Senescent cells are viable.C. Senescent cells are undergoing cell death.D. Senescence is a key step in promoting neoplastic proliferation.E. None of the above.
B
DNA with bases that have been altered by oxidation, deamination or depurination is repaired byA. Nucleotide Excision RepairB. Base Excision RepairC. Mismatch RepairD. Homology Directed Repair
Base excision repair
Cells that go through EMT. . . (Choose all that apply) Become motile and invasive Express E-cadherin Lose apical-basal polarity Gain adherens junctions Express Vimentin
Become motile and invasive Lose apical-basal polarity Express Vimentin
Angiogenesis inhibitors are an attractive anti-cancer agent becauseA. They target the rapidly dividing cancer cells.B. They target the smallest tumors at an early stage as they are starting to form.C. They target the normal cells rather than the ever-mutating cancer cells.D. They have no side effects.E. None of the above.
C
Cells undergoing EMT are most frequently observed A. In normal tissue surrounding a tumor.B. In the center of a tumor.C. Near the edge of a tumor.D. Only in circulating tumor cells.E. None of the above.
C
The ability for cancer cells to form a secondary tumor at a site distant from the primary tumor A. Is acquired along with the ability to move through circulation.B. Is possessed by the majority of cells in a tumor.C. Is often acquired after micrometastases have been established.D. Usually occurs prior to establishment of micrometastases.E. None of the above.
C
Which of the following contributes to tumor stiffness?A) Interstitial fluid pressure has decreased in the tumor due to leaky vasculatureB) Individual tumor cells become stiffer in response to oncogene activation C) Cancer-associated fibroblasts alter extracellular matrix deposition and alignmentD) LOX causes degradation of extracellular matrix crosslinks
C
Which of the following is LEAST LIKELY regarding interactions between cells and ECM?A) Alignment of collagen fibers is influenced by forces applied by cellsB) Inhibition of myosin activity impairs focal adhesion assemblyC) Cell force generation decreases as substrate stiffness increasesD) Blocking integrin-ECM interactions decreases cell spreading
C
Which of the following is likely to occur when cells are on a stiffer surface?A) Integrin clustering is inhibitedB) Focal adhesions become large and exert less forceC) Focal adhesions are larger and both force and signaling increaseD) Integrin clustering increases, but is not connected to the actin cytoskeleton
C
Which of the following is most likely to be associated with good patient prognosis?A) Aligned collagen fibers B) An abundance of cancer-associated fibroblastsC) Decreased expression of LOXD) Higher tumor stiffnessE) High fluid pressure in the tumor
C
Which of the following metabolic strategies would you be MOST likely to find in a proliferating cancer cell?A) Decrease glycolysis and increase usage of citric acid cycleB) Increase catabolic metabolism to maximize ATP productionC) Increase nutrient uptake to support increased anabolic metabolismD) Decrease nucleotide synthesis to support increased ATP production
C
Blood vessels within tumors are Often constructed in evenly spaced patterns to provide oxygen and nutrients throughout the tumor. Can be growth-suppressed by antagonists of the VEGF receptor Can contain bone marrow cells that have migrated and differentiated Often constructed in a haphazard, seemingly disorganized fashion Leaky
Can be growth-suppressed by antagonists of the VEGF receptor Can contain bone marrow cells that have migrated and differentiated Often constructed in a haphazard, seemingly disorganized fashion Leaky
Angiogenesis. . . (Choose all that apply) Requires p53 Doesn't happen until late in cancer progression Can contribute to tumor stiffness Is stimulated by hypoxia
Can contribute to tumor stiffness Is stimulated by hypoxia
The interaction of cells with their mechanical environment... Can mediate invasion along aligned collagen bundles Mediates durotaxis, which means that cells tend to migrate towards softer substrates Results in mechanotransduction, which means that biochemical signals are translated into mechanical ones Inhibits cell proliferation and survival Influences tumor progression but not differentiation of normal cells
Can mediate invasion along aligned collagen bundles
The metabolic phenotype of a cell in a multicellular organism.... Responds to extracellular nutrient availability, but is insensitive to availability of growth factors Maximizes efficiency of ATP production under all conditions Couples growth factor signaling to the regulation of nutrient uptake and anabolic metabolism Uses aerobic glycolysis in order to maximize usage of the electron transport chain
Couples growth factor signaling to the regulation of nutrient uptake and anabolic metabolism
Blood vessels in tumors are mostly made up of:A. Tumor cellsB. Normal endothelial cells from the surrounding tissueC. Endothelial precursors that migrated from the bone marrow and differentiatedD. B and CE. All of the above
D
Blood vessels within tumors are A. Often constructed in evenly spaced patterns to provide oxygen and nutrients throughout the tumor.B. Often constructed in a haphazard, seemingly disorganized fashion.C. Growth-suppressed by antagonists of the VEGF receptor.D. B and C.E. None of the above
D
Capillaries containA. Endothelial cellsB. PericytesC. Smooth muscleD. A and BE. All of the above
D
Cell signaling in response to the ECM can be...A) Altered by changes in ECM stiffness but not ECM compositionB) Affected by secretions of cancer-associated fibroblasts but not cancer cellsC) Sensitive to biochemical but not physical changesD) Mediated by contractility stimulating nuclear translocation of YAP/TAZ
D
Cells that undergo partial EMTA. Lose apical basal polarityB. Maintain cell-cell junctionsC. Migrate collectivelyD. All of the aboveE. None of the above
D
In order to leave the primary tumor and enter the circulatory system, cells must be able toA. Degrade ECMB. ProliferateC. MigrateD. A and CE. All of the above
D
Mutations that result in compromised function of the spindle assembly checkpoint during mitosis may directly contribute to A. Impaired p53 function.B. Impaired DNA replication.C. Aneuploidy.D. A and B.E. None of the above.
D
Which of the following is NOT LIKELY to be part of a cell's response to stiff substrates?A) Src signals downstream from integrinsB) Actin contractility can influence nuclear localization of transcription factorsC) Forces are transferred directly to the nucleus through the cytoskeletonD) Cell contractility is generated by myosin inside the nucleus
D
Which of the following will directly induce EMT?A. Hypoxia B. TGFbC. HGFD. B and CE. All of the above
D
Which of the following is most likely to be FALSE about cancer cell metabolism? A) Conversion of pyruvate to lactate is important for maintaining NAD+ levelsB) NADPH is likely a rate limiting resource for cell proliferationC) Cancer cells have increased uptake of glucose and glutamineD) ATP production is likely rate limiting for cell proliferation
D?
Increased ECM stiffness is likely to cause all of the following except for... Nuclear translocation of the YAP/TAZ transcriptional coactivators Increased Src signaling Decreased Rho activation Increased FAK phosphorylation Increased force generation at focal adhesions
Decreased Rho activation
Which of the following describe signaling activity changes that are likely to promote the cancer cell metabolic phenotype? Increased Src and Increased p53 Increased PI3K and Decreased HIF-1 Increased Ras and switch from PKM2 to PKM1 Increased pRb and Increased Akt Decreased pVHL and Increased c-myc
Decreased pVHL and Increased c-myc
Which of the following DNA lesions are typically repaired via base excision repair (Select all that apply) Bulky guanine adducts Thymine dimers Depurinated residues Deaminated cytosines
Depurinated residues Deaminated cytosines
Cells that undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition will acquire A. Increased invasive ability.B. Higher resistance to apoptosis.C. Increased motility.D. Increased ability to metastasize.E. All of the above.
E
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitionA. Is most common at the edge of tumorsB. Is initiated by some growth factorsC. Is reversableD. Leads to an increased ability to metastasize.E. All of the above.
E
Multidomain glycoproteins in the extracellular matrix have binding sites for many other macromolecules. These glycoproteins ... A. can serve as tracks along which cells can migrate.B. can bind to growth factors and influence cell signaling.C. can bind to cell-surface receptors.D. can serve as barriers to cell migration.E. All of the above.
E
What does a cell need to proliferate?A) NucleotidesB) Amino acidsC) ATPD) LipidsE) All of the above
E
Which of the following mechanisms would NOT contribute to cancer cell transformation? A. Erosion of telomeric DNAB. Regeneration of telomeric DNA through the ALT mechanismC. Repeated breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cyclesD. Stabilization of telomeresE. Increased expression of telomerase
Erosion of telomeric DNA
Epithelial cells undergoing an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) will A. Migrate away from a wound site.B. Express vimentin.C. Express cytokeratin.D. Exhibit a polygonal shape.E. None of the above.
Express vimentin Migrate towards immune site Polygonal but only if you look at them from above
The telomerase enzyme in human cells ... A. has an RNA component.B. extends the telomeres by its RNA polymerase activity.C. polymerizes the telomeric DNA sequences without using any template.D. removes telomeric DNA from the ends of the chromosomes.E. creates the "end-replication" problem.
Has an RNA component, needs a template, and has DNA polymerase activity
A cell that cannot properly repair deamination. . . (Choose all that apply) Will not accurately repair double strand breaks Will have changes in microsatellite repeat length Has impaired Base excision Repair Will have many C to T transitions
Has impaired Base excision Repair Will have many C to T transitions
PTHrP. . . (Choose all that apply) Helps breast cancer cells to colonize bone Stimulates osteoblasts to make more OPG Leads to osteoblastic metastases Stimulates the differentiation of osteoclasts Is released by breast cells during lactation
Helps breast cancer cells to colonize bone Stimulates the differentiation of osteoclasts Is released by breast cells during lactation
Cells that undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition will acquire (Select all that apply) Higher resistance to apoptosis Stem cell characteristics Increased motility More tight junctions Increased invasive ability
Higher resistance to apoptosis Stem cell characteristics Increased motility Increased invasive ability
Which of the following repair pathways can accurately repair a double-strand break?A. Base excision repairB. Nucleotide excision repairC. Direct chemical reversalD. Homology directed repairE. Nonhomologous end joining
Homologous directed repair
Which of the following are examples of ways cancer cells acquire material to fuel the metabolic pathways that support growth? (*SELECT ALL THAT APPLY) Increased glucose uptake Increased glutamine uptake Phagocytosis of dead cells Entosis of living cells Macropinocytosis of extracellular material (ex. proteins)
Increased glucose uptake Correct! Increased glutamine uptake Correct! Phagocytosis of dead cells Correct! Entosis of living cells Correct! Macropinocytosis of extracellular material (ex. proteins)
Which of the following is MOST likely to describe the flux through metabolic pathways in a proliferating cancer cell? Increased glucose uptake, increased flux into serine synthesis pathway, lower pyruvate kinase (PKM) activity Increased lipid synthesis, decreased lactate production, increased usage of electron transport chain Increased flux into glycolysis, increased lactate production, decreased NADPH production Increased usage of acetyl-CoA for fatty acid synthesis, decreased ROS, increased synthesis of glucose Increased usage of glucose to fuel the citric acid cycle, excess NAD+ in the cytoplasm, increased export of glutamine
Increased glucose uptake, increased flux into serine synthesis pathway, lower pyruvate kinase (PKM) activity
Cells that undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition will acquire (Select all that apply) Increased motility Higher resistance to apoptosis More tight junctions Increased invasive ability
Increased motility Higher resistance to apoptosis Increased invasive ability
Which of the following is LEAST likely to be a way in which mechanical stimuli are translated into biological responses? Stiff ECM results in increased force generation, which can alter the conformation of some signaling proteins Forces applied to the nucleus can alter chromatin structure to influence gene expression Increases in myosin-mediated contractility result in retention of YAP/TAZ in the cytoplasm Stiff ECM increases focal adhesion assembly, which result in increased downstream signaling of proteins like Src Forces are transmitted from the ECM to the nucleus through connections between the cytoskeleton and the nuclear envelope
Increases in myosin-mediated contractility result in retention of YAP/TAZ in the cytoplasm
Which of the following is NOT one of the common causes of increased tumor stiffness? Cancer-associated fibroblasts increase ECM deposition Leaky vasculature deposits wound healing proteins that initiate ECM remodeling A larger number of cells are confined to a small space Leaky vasculature increases interstitial fluid pressure in the tumor Individual cancer cells each increase in stiffness There is an increase in ECM crosslinking
Individual cancer cells each increase in stiffness
Collective cell migration. . . Occurs in cells that have lost their cell-cell junctions Is stimulated by partial EMT Never occurs during metastasis Allows migratory cells to help other tumor cells exit the primary tumor
Is stimulated by partial EMT Allows migratory cells to help other tumor cells exit the primary tumor
Necrosis. . . (Choose all that apply) Requires caspases Is triggered by poor environmental conditions Induces inflammation Is impaired by mutations in p53 Involves groups of cells
Is triggered by poor environmental conditions Induces inflammation involves groups of cells
The vicious cycle of breast cancer cell interactions with bone Leads to bone breakdown Requires RANKL Can promote colonization Leads to osteoclast apoptosis Suppresses growth of the metastatic breast cancer cells
Leads to bone breakdown Requires RANKL Can promote colonization
A DNA base has been altered by the covalent attachment of a molecule that disrupts Watson-Crick pairing. This will be repaired byA. Nucleotide Excision RepairB. Base Excision RepairC. Mismatch RepairD. Homology Directed Repair
Nucleotide excision repair
After tumor cells have gained the ability to proliferate continuously, the size of tumors can be limited by:A. NecrosisB. ApoptosisC. Nutrient availabilityD. A and BE. All of the above
Nutrient availability (to grow and divide), necrosis (random cell death), apoptosis (programmed cell death)
Some cancer cells escape crisis by A. Over-expressing hTERT.B. Activating the ALT mechanism.C. Shortening their telomeres.D. A and B.E. None of the above.
Over-expressing hTERT (to express telomerase) and/or activating the ALT mechanism
Which of the following are true about PKM1 and PKM2? (*SELECT ALL THAT APPLY) PKM2 activity increases upon binding the glycolytic intermediate FBP PKM2 exhibits lower baseline activity than PKM1 Cancer cells typically express PKM1 instead of PKM2 PKM2 activity increases in response to growth factor-stimulated activation of tyrosine phosphorylation signaling cascades
PKM2 activity increases upon binding the glycolytic intermediate FBP Correct! PKM2 exhibits lower baseline activity than PKM1
For melanoma cells metastasizing to the liver which of the following steps in the metastatic cascade is the most difficult? Arresting in the liver blood vessels Proliferating in the liver Surviving in the liver Extravasating into the liver
Proliferating in the liver
Breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycles may help drive tumorigenesis by A. Shortening telomeric DNA.B. Driving cellular proliferation.C. Promoting telomere instability.D. Providing a means for cells to acquire additional mutations.E. Increasing expression levels of hTERT.
Providing a means for cells to acquire additional mutations They are a consequence of telomeres instability, they aren't promoting it
Breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycles may help drive tumorigenesis by Shortening telomeric DNA Driving cellular proliferation Providing a means for cells to acquire additional mutations. Increasing expression levels of hTERT Promoting telomere instability
Providing a means for cells to acquire additional mutations.
Loss of telomerase activity in humans lead to severe phenotypes in the first generation, while loss of telomerase activity in laboratory mice takes several generations to exhibit any sort of phenotype. This could be because... A. Mouse cells have shorter telomeresB. Human cells have shorter telomeresC. Somatic Mouse cells express higher levels of hTERTD. Somatic Human cells express higher levels of hTERTE. The length of mouse telomeres does not change over time
Somatic cells don't express telomerase, the difference is that mice telomeres are longer
The growth factors that are released from bone during the vicious cycle can. . . (choose all that apply) Stimulate growth of breast cancer cells in the bone Promote breast cancer metastasis to the bone Promote MET once breast cancer cells arrest in the bone Promote EMT of breast cancer cells in the primary tumor
Stimulate growth of breast cancer cells in the bone Promote breast cancer metastasis to the bone Promote EMT of breast cancer cells in the primary tumor
Which of the following is TRUE about the study of mechanobiology? Stiffer tissues exhibit more deformation when a force is applied (ex. using suction or pressure) Traction force microscopy is used to measure how stiff a substrate is Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is usually used to determine the amount of force a cell exerts on the substrate it has adhered to The characteristic stiffness of a particular tissue can help induce the appropriate differentiation program
The characteristic stiffness of a particular tissue can help induce the appropriate differentiation program
Which of the following are true about the oxygen sensing system? Choose all that apply. The prolines in HIF-1a are modified in normal oxygen conditions HIF upregulates the transcription of genes needed to deal with hypoxia HIF-1a is destroyed in hypoxic conditions pVHL modifies the prolines in HIF1a pVHL is a tumor suppressor
The prolines in HIF-1a are modified in normal oxygen conditions HIF upregulates the transcription of genes needed to deal with hypoxia pVHL is a tumor suppressor
Which of the following describe the role of tumor mechanics in cancer progression and therapy? (*SELECT ALL THAT APPLY) The remodeled ECM in the tumor microenvironment attracts mesenchymal stem cells, which can be engineered to aid in chemotherapy Stiff ECM alone might not be enough to cause a malignant cancer, but can accelerate cancer development and promote metastasis Increased stiffness can enhance signaling through some of the same pathways that are involved in oncogene signaling Decreased expression of LOX is associated with worse patient survival
The remodeled ECM in the tumor microenvironment attracts mesenchymal stem cells, which can be engineered to aid in chemotherapy Correct! Stiff ECM alone might not be enough to cause a malignant cancer, but can accelerate cancer development and promote metastasis Correct Answer Increased stiffness can enhance signaling through some of the same pathways that are involved in oncogene signaling
The ability of cells to form a tumor is usually A. The result of multiple mutations.B. Influenced by chemicals that are nonmutagenic but act as promoters.C. A quick process.D. A and B.E. None of the above.
The result of multiple mutations and influenced by chemicals that are non mutagenic but act as promoters
Which of the following is MOST likely true of aggressively dividing cancer cells? They are in a state of cell crisis They do not express telomerase Their telomeres are stabilized (not shortening with each cellular division) They do not express hTERT
Their telomeres are stabilized (not shortening with each cellular division)
Which of the following leads to crosslinking of adjacent bases in DNAA. OxidationB. DepurinationC. UV lightD. Slippage during DNA replicationE. Acetaldehyde
UV light
Which of the following cell junctions uses cadherin cell adhesion molecules to anchor the actin cytoskeleton?A. Tight junctionB. Adherens junctionC. DesmosomeD. HemidesmosomeE. Gap junction
adherens
PARP inhibitors can efficiently kill many breast cancer cells that lack functional Brca1 or Brca2 genes. How do these drugs accomplish this?
by inhibiting DNA repair pathway
NecrosisA. Requires p53B. Requires caspasesC. Induces inflammationD. A and BE. None of the above
c
Homology Directed Repair . . . (Choose all that apply) can accurately repair double strand breaks is only possible during certain phases of the cell cycle can repair some types of damage that occurs during replication can introduce insertions and deletions into genes
can accurately repair double strand breaks is only possible during certain phases of the cell cycle can repair some types of damage that occurs during replication
Senescent cells . . . (Choose all that apply) can result from p53 activity can be stimulated to reenter the cell cycle are dead or dying will not divide
can result from p53 activity will not divide
what hallmark of cancer does telomerase relate to?
enabling replicative immortality
HIF1 levels in tumors are likelyA. High because they are hypoxicB. Impaired because they don't make enough capillaries
high
Familial Cancer Syndromes are due to inheritedA) activating mutations in oncogenesB) inactivating mutations in oncogenesC) activating mutations in tumor suppressorsD) inactivating mutations in tumor suppressors
inactivating mutations in tumor suppressors
Small, focal protrusions from the cell surface that degrade areas of the extracellular matrix are called A. Invadopodia.B. Collagenopodia.C. Filaments.D. Cytoskeletal arms.E. None of the above.
invadopodia
DNA glycosylases constitute an enzyme family found in all three domains of life. They can ...A. add sugar moieties to DNA.B. remove sugar moieties from DNA.C. add a purine or pyrimidine base to DNA.D. remove a purine or pyrimidine base from DNA.E. remove a nucleotide from DNA.
involved in base excision repair, DNA glycosylases can do D
Impaired mismatch repair leads to A. Single strand DNA breaksB. Microsatellite instabilityC. Double strand DNA breaksD. Base conversionE. Sensitivity to UV radiation
microsatellite instability
