Epigenetics of stem cells and cancer stem cells

Dr. Katherine West

Dr Katherine West

  • Senior Lecturer (Molecular Biosciences)

telephone: 0141 330 1824
email: Katherine.West@glasgow.ac.uk
pronouns: She/her/hers

Room 338, West Medical Building, University of Glasgow, G12 8qq

Import to contacts

ORCID iDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5994-8969

Research interests

Epigenetics of stem cells and cancer stem cells
Neural stem cells (NSC) have the ability to proliferate and differentiate into all neuronal and glia cell types within the brain. In addition to their essential role during development, NSCs are important for learning, memory and neuronal repair in adults. Genetically mutated NSC are also thought to be the origin of glioblastoma, which is one of the most common brain tumours in adults and has a very poor survival rate.
My lab is interested in the epigenetic mechanisms that control gene expression in stem cells. We are using next generation sequencing to study the changes in histone modifications during stem cell differentiation and malignant transformation. By understanding the epigenetic mechanisms underlying these cell type transitions, we hope to facilitate the use of epigenetic and stem cell therapies to treat cancer and neurodegenerative disease.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2024 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2012 | 2008 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 1996
Number of items: 27.

2024

Hermantara, R., Richmond, L., Taqi, A. F., Chilaka, S., Jeantet, V., Guerrini, I., West, K. and West, A. (2024) Improving CRISPR-Cas9 directed faithful transgene integration outcomes by reducing unwanted random DNA integration. Journal of Biomedical Science, 31(1), 32. (doi: 10.1186/s12929-024-01020-x) (PMID:38532479) (PMCID:PMC10964699)

2019

Garza-Manero, S. et al. (2019) Maintenance of active chromatin states by HMGN2 is required for stem cell identity in a pluripotent stem cell model. Epigenetics and Chromatin, 12, 73. (doi: 10.1186/s13072-019-0320-7) (PMID:31831052) (PMCID:PMC6907237)

2018

Bilsland, A. , Kelly, C. , Roccisana, J., Paul, J. , Jones, R. , Edwards, J. , Roseweir, A. , Stein, T. and West, K. (2018) An Exploratory Study on the Use of Game-based Learning Using Microsoft Kinect to Teach Oncology Phase I Clinical Trial Designs. 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference, Glasgow, UK, 04-06 Nov 2018. (doi: 10.1038/s41416-018-0299-z)

2016

Garza-Manero, S., Sindi, A., Bailo, M., Mohan, G., Rehbini, O., Jeantet, V., West, A. and West, K. (2016) Nucleosome-binding HMGN Proteins Inhibit Stem Cell Differentiation Down the Neuronal Lineage. 2016 IMB Conference: Epigenetics in Development, Mainz, Germany, 20-22 Oct 2016.

West, K. L. , Roccisana, J., Stein, T. and Williams, M. (2016) Can a Multi-Student Research Project Deliver a High Quality Learning Experience at Masters Level? MVLS PGT Annual Away Day, Glasgow, UK, 07 Sep 2016.

Rehbini, O., Mohan, G., Sindi, A., Garza Manero, S., Gurden, R., Iwata, T. and West, K. (2016) Knockdown High Mobility Nucleosomal Binding Proteins 2 (HMGN2) Alter the Histone Modification H4K4me3 and H3K27me3 and Regulates Stem Cells Pluripotency. 9th Saudi Student Conference, Birmingham, UK, 13-14 Feb 2016.

2015

Carvalho Mendez, E., Sindi, A., Rehbini, O. and West, K. L. (2015) HMGN3a Localization and HMGNs Expressoin in P19 Embryonal Carcinoma Cells. 61st Congresso Brasileiro de Genética, São Paulo, Brazil, 08-11 Sep 2015.

Rehbini, O., Sindi, A., Mohan, G., Garza Manero, S., Iwata, T. and West, K. L. (2015) The Hmgn Family of Chromatin Binding Proteins Regulates Stem Cells Pluripotency and Neuronal Differentiation. Wellcome Trust-Waddington Symposium: Epigenetics in Dialogue with THE GENOME, Edinburgh, UK, 01-05 Jun 2015.

Sindi, A., Garza Manero, S., Mohan, G., Rehbini, O., Carvalho Mendez, E. and West, K. L. (2015) Characterising the HMGN Proteins Expression, and their Role, During Neuronal Differentiation of Mouse P19-ECCs in a Defined Adherent Culture System. BNA2015: Festival of Neuroscience, Edinburgh, UK, 12-15 Apr 2015.

2014

West, K. , Gourlay, E. and West, A. (2014) Genome Editing in Human Cells. Tenovus Scotland Scholarship Event, Glasgow, UK, 25 Jul 2014.

2012

Mohan, G., Rehbini, O., Iwata, T. and West, K. (2012) The Hmgn Family of Chromatin Binding Proteins Regulate Stem Cell Pluripotency and Neuronal Differentiation. Biochemical Society Annual Symposium: Epigenetic Mechanisms in Development and Disease, Leeds, UK, 11-13 Dec 2012.

Barkess, G., Postnikov, Y., Campos, C.D., Mishra, S., Mohan, G., Verma, S., Bustin, M. and West, K.L. (2012) The chromatin-binding protein HMGN3 stimulates histone acetylation and transcription across the Glyt1 gene. Biochemical Journal, 442(3), pp. 495-505. (doi: 10.1042/BJ20111502) (PMID:22150271) (PMCID:PMC3713072)

Jiwaji, M. et al. (2012) Unique reporter-based sensor platforms to monitor signalling in cells. PLoS ONE, 7(11), e50521. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050521) (PMID:23209767) (PMCID:PMC3510088)

2008

Meczes, E.L., Gilroy, K.L., West, K.L. and Austin, C.A. (2008) The impact of the human DNA topoisomerase II C-terminal domain on activity. PLoS ONE, 3(3), e1754. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001754) (PMID:18335031) (PMCID:PMC2262138)

2005

Rubinstein, Y. R., Furusawa, T., Lim, J.-H., Postnikov, Y. V., West, K. L. , Birger, Y., Lee, S., Nguyen, P., Trepel, J. B. and Bustin, M. (2005) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 modulates the expression of N-cadherin. FEBS Journal, 272(22), pp. 5853-5863. (doi: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2005.04980.x)

Birger, Y., Catez, F., Furusawa, T., Lim, J., Prymakowska-Bosak, M., West, K., Postnikov, Y., Haines, D. and Bustin, M. (2005) Increased tumorigenicity and sensitivity to ionizing radiation upon loss of chromosomal protein HMGN1. Cancer Research, 65(15), pp. 6711-6718.

Lim, J., West, K., Rubinstein, Y., Bergel, M., Postnikov, Y. and Bustin, M. (2005) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 enhances the acetylation of lysine 14 in histone H3. EMBO Journal, 24(17), pp. 3038-3048.

2004

Lim, J., Catez, F., Birger, Y., West, K., Prymakowska-Bosak, M., Postnikov, Y. and Bustin, M. (2004) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 modulates histone H3 phosphorylation. Molecular Cell, 15(4), pp. 573-584.

West, K.L. and Bustin, M. (2004) The role of HMGN proteins in chromatin function. In: Zlatanova, J. and Leuba, S.H. (eds.) Chromatin Structure and Dynamics: State-of-the-Art. Series: New comprehensive biochemistry (39). Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 135-154. ISBN 9780444515940

West, K. (2004) HMGN proteins play roles in DNA repair and gene expression in mammalian cells. Biochemical Society Transactions, 32, pp. 918-919.

West, K., Castellini, M., Duncan, M. and Bustin, M. (2004) Chromosomal proteins HMGN3a and HMGN3b regulate the expression of glycine transporter 1. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 24, pp. 3747-3756. (doi: 10.1128/MCB.24.9.3747-3756.2004)

2003

Birger, Y., West, K., Postnikov, Y., Lim, J., Furusawa, T., Wagner, J., Laufer, C., Kraemer, K. and Bustin, M. (2003) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 enhances the rate of DNA repair in chromatin. EMBO Journal, 22(7), pp. 1665-1675.

West, K., Postnikov, Y., Birger, Y. and Bustin, M. (2003) Chromatin decompaction method by HMGN proteins. Methods in Enzymology, 371, pp. 521-536.

2002

West, K., Turnbull, R., Willmore, E., Lakey, J. and Austin, C. (2002) Characterisation of the DNA-dependent ATPase activity of human DNA topoisomerase IIbeta: mutation of Ser165 in the ATPase domain reduces the ATPase activity and abolishes the in vivo complementation ability. Nucleic Acids Research, 30(24), pp. 5416-5424.

2001

Birger, Y., Ito, Y., West, K.L., Landsman, D. and Bustin, M. (2001) HMGN4, a new nucleosomal binding protein encoded by an intronless gene. DNA and Cell Biology, 20(5), pp. 257-264.

West, K., Ito, Y., Birger, Y., Postnikov, Y., Shirakawa, H. and Bustin, M. (2001) HMGN3a and HMGN3b, two protein isoforms with a tissue-specific expression pattern, expand the cellular repertoire of nucleosome- binding proteins. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276(28), pp. 25959-25969.

1996

Zandvliet, D. W.J., Hanby, A. M., Austin, C. A., Marsh, K. L. , Clark, I. B.N., Wright, N. A. and Poulsom, R. (1996) Analysis of foetal expression sites of human type II DNA topoisomerase α and β mRNAs by in situ hybridisation. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Gene Structure and Expression, 1307(2), pp. 239-247. (doi: 10.1016/0167-4781(96)00063-2) (PMID:8679710)

This list was generated on Sat Dec 21 00:29:30 2024 GMT.
Jump to: Articles | Book Sections | Conference or Workshop Item
Number of items: 27.

Articles

Hermantara, R., Richmond, L., Taqi, A. F., Chilaka, S., Jeantet, V., Guerrini, I., West, K. and West, A. (2024) Improving CRISPR-Cas9 directed faithful transgene integration outcomes by reducing unwanted random DNA integration. Journal of Biomedical Science, 31(1), 32. (doi: 10.1186/s12929-024-01020-x) (PMID:38532479) (PMCID:PMC10964699)

Garza-Manero, S. et al. (2019) Maintenance of active chromatin states by HMGN2 is required for stem cell identity in a pluripotent stem cell model. Epigenetics and Chromatin, 12, 73. (doi: 10.1186/s13072-019-0320-7) (PMID:31831052) (PMCID:PMC6907237)

Barkess, G., Postnikov, Y., Campos, C.D., Mishra, S., Mohan, G., Verma, S., Bustin, M. and West, K.L. (2012) The chromatin-binding protein HMGN3 stimulates histone acetylation and transcription across the Glyt1 gene. Biochemical Journal, 442(3), pp. 495-505. (doi: 10.1042/BJ20111502) (PMID:22150271) (PMCID:PMC3713072)

Jiwaji, M. et al. (2012) Unique reporter-based sensor platforms to monitor signalling in cells. PLoS ONE, 7(11), e50521. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050521) (PMID:23209767) (PMCID:PMC3510088)

Meczes, E.L., Gilroy, K.L., West, K.L. and Austin, C.A. (2008) The impact of the human DNA topoisomerase II C-terminal domain on activity. PLoS ONE, 3(3), e1754. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001754) (PMID:18335031) (PMCID:PMC2262138)

Rubinstein, Y. R., Furusawa, T., Lim, J.-H., Postnikov, Y. V., West, K. L. , Birger, Y., Lee, S., Nguyen, P., Trepel, J. B. and Bustin, M. (2005) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 modulates the expression of N-cadherin. FEBS Journal, 272(22), pp. 5853-5863. (doi: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2005.04980.x)

Birger, Y., Catez, F., Furusawa, T., Lim, J., Prymakowska-Bosak, M., West, K., Postnikov, Y., Haines, D. and Bustin, M. (2005) Increased tumorigenicity and sensitivity to ionizing radiation upon loss of chromosomal protein HMGN1. Cancer Research, 65(15), pp. 6711-6718.

Lim, J., West, K., Rubinstein, Y., Bergel, M., Postnikov, Y. and Bustin, M. (2005) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 enhances the acetylation of lysine 14 in histone H3. EMBO Journal, 24(17), pp. 3038-3048.

Lim, J., Catez, F., Birger, Y., West, K., Prymakowska-Bosak, M., Postnikov, Y. and Bustin, M. (2004) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 modulates histone H3 phosphorylation. Molecular Cell, 15(4), pp. 573-584.

West, K. (2004) HMGN proteins play roles in DNA repair and gene expression in mammalian cells. Biochemical Society Transactions, 32, pp. 918-919.

West, K., Castellini, M., Duncan, M. and Bustin, M. (2004) Chromosomal proteins HMGN3a and HMGN3b regulate the expression of glycine transporter 1. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 24, pp. 3747-3756. (doi: 10.1128/MCB.24.9.3747-3756.2004)

Birger, Y., West, K., Postnikov, Y., Lim, J., Furusawa, T., Wagner, J., Laufer, C., Kraemer, K. and Bustin, M. (2003) Chromosomal protein HMGN1 enhances the rate of DNA repair in chromatin. EMBO Journal, 22(7), pp. 1665-1675.

West, K., Postnikov, Y., Birger, Y. and Bustin, M. (2003) Chromatin decompaction method by HMGN proteins. Methods in Enzymology, 371, pp. 521-536.

West, K., Turnbull, R., Willmore, E., Lakey, J. and Austin, C. (2002) Characterisation of the DNA-dependent ATPase activity of human DNA topoisomerase IIbeta: mutation of Ser165 in the ATPase domain reduces the ATPase activity and abolishes the in vivo complementation ability. Nucleic Acids Research, 30(24), pp. 5416-5424.

Birger, Y., Ito, Y., West, K.L., Landsman, D. and Bustin, M. (2001) HMGN4, a new nucleosomal binding protein encoded by an intronless gene. DNA and Cell Biology, 20(5), pp. 257-264.

West, K., Ito, Y., Birger, Y., Postnikov, Y., Shirakawa, H. and Bustin, M. (2001) HMGN3a and HMGN3b, two protein isoforms with a tissue-specific expression pattern, expand the cellular repertoire of nucleosome- binding proteins. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276(28), pp. 25959-25969.

Zandvliet, D. W.J., Hanby, A. M., Austin, C. A., Marsh, K. L. , Clark, I. B.N., Wright, N. A. and Poulsom, R. (1996) Analysis of foetal expression sites of human type II DNA topoisomerase α and β mRNAs by in situ hybridisation. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Gene Structure and Expression, 1307(2), pp. 239-247. (doi: 10.1016/0167-4781(96)00063-2) (PMID:8679710)

Book Sections

West, K.L. and Bustin, M. (2004) The role of HMGN proteins in chromatin function. In: Zlatanova, J. and Leuba, S.H. (eds.) Chromatin Structure and Dynamics: State-of-the-Art. Series: New comprehensive biochemistry (39). Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 135-154. ISBN 9780444515940

Conference or Workshop Item

Bilsland, A. , Kelly, C. , Roccisana, J., Paul, J. , Jones, R. , Edwards, J. , Roseweir, A. , Stein, T. and West, K. (2018) An Exploratory Study on the Use of Game-based Learning Using Microsoft Kinect to Teach Oncology Phase I Clinical Trial Designs. 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference, Glasgow, UK, 04-06 Nov 2018. (doi: 10.1038/s41416-018-0299-z)

Garza-Manero, S., Sindi, A., Bailo, M., Mohan, G., Rehbini, O., Jeantet, V., West, A. and West, K. (2016) Nucleosome-binding HMGN Proteins Inhibit Stem Cell Differentiation Down the Neuronal Lineage. 2016 IMB Conference: Epigenetics in Development, Mainz, Germany, 20-22 Oct 2016.

West, K. L. , Roccisana, J., Stein, T. and Williams, M. (2016) Can a Multi-Student Research Project Deliver a High Quality Learning Experience at Masters Level? MVLS PGT Annual Away Day, Glasgow, UK, 07 Sep 2016.

Rehbini, O., Mohan, G., Sindi, A., Garza Manero, S., Gurden, R., Iwata, T. and West, K. (2016) Knockdown High Mobility Nucleosomal Binding Proteins 2 (HMGN2) Alter the Histone Modification H4K4me3 and H3K27me3 and Regulates Stem Cells Pluripotency. 9th Saudi Student Conference, Birmingham, UK, 13-14 Feb 2016.

Carvalho Mendez, E., Sindi, A., Rehbini, O. and West, K. L. (2015) HMGN3a Localization and HMGNs Expressoin in P19 Embryonal Carcinoma Cells. 61st Congresso Brasileiro de Genética, São Paulo, Brazil, 08-11 Sep 2015.

Rehbini, O., Sindi, A., Mohan, G., Garza Manero, S., Iwata, T. and West, K. L. (2015) The Hmgn Family of Chromatin Binding Proteins Regulates Stem Cells Pluripotency and Neuronal Differentiation. Wellcome Trust-Waddington Symposium: Epigenetics in Dialogue with THE GENOME, Edinburgh, UK, 01-05 Jun 2015.

Sindi, A., Garza Manero, S., Mohan, G., Rehbini, O., Carvalho Mendez, E. and West, K. L. (2015) Characterising the HMGN Proteins Expression, and their Role, During Neuronal Differentiation of Mouse P19-ECCs in a Defined Adherent Culture System. BNA2015: Festival of Neuroscience, Edinburgh, UK, 12-15 Apr 2015.

West, K. , Gourlay, E. and West, A. (2014) Genome Editing in Human Cells. Tenovus Scotland Scholarship Event, Glasgow, UK, 25 Jul 2014.

Mohan, G., Rehbini, O., Iwata, T. and West, K. (2012) The Hmgn Family of Chromatin Binding Proteins Regulate Stem Cell Pluripotency and Neuronal Differentiation. Biochemical Society Annual Symposium: Epigenetic Mechanisms in Development and Disease, Leeds, UK, 11-13 Dec 2012.

This list was generated on Sat Dec 21 00:29:30 2024 GMT.

Grants

Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.

  • Engineering Zinc finger proteins for efficient gene targeting in human cells
    Tenovus Scotland
    2011 - 2013
     
  • The Molecular Nose
    Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
    2007 - 2011
     
  • The role of the chromatin unfolding protein HMGN1 in the cellular response to DNA damage
    Association for International Cancer Research
    2007 - 2010
     
  • Understanding how the chromatin protein HMGN3 regulates target gene expression
    Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
    2005 - 2008
     
  • The role of the chromatin protein HMGN3 in cytokine-induced gene expression
    European Commission
    2005 - 2006
     
  • Investigation into a peptide inhibitor of HMGN proteins that could sensitise cancer cells to radio- or chemotherapy
    Tenovus Scotland
    2004 - 2005
     

Dr Katherine L West