GPX-2 Protein Synthesis Using Recombinant E. Coli

Chemotherapeutic treatments for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), though sometimes unsuccessful, cause high levels of oxidative stress in cancer cells. Chemotherapy provides a selection pressure that forces cancer cells to alter their metabolism and upregulate certain processes to continue to replicate under these new stressors.1 GPX-2, or glutathione peroxidase 2, is part of a family of antioxidants. Under chemotherapeutic pressures, a significant overexpression of the GPX-2 system that is involved with fatty acid oxidation, oxidative stress, and protein processing is observed. 2. Because of its role in mobilizing a response to chemotherapeutic agents and potentially affecting cancer cell resistance, it is a promising target for small molecule inhibition. In our research, we show the synthesis of this integral protein using a three-plasmid system in an E. Coli model.