Tanya Das, Ph.D. Professor Division of Molecular Medicine Ph.D.: University of Calcutta (1989) Tel: 91-33-2569-3257 Fax:  91-33-2355-3886 E-mail: tanya@bic.boseinst.ernet.in             das_tanya@yahoo.com Web Page: http://www.calcuttayellowpages.com/adver/104883.html

Theme of research: Cancer chemoprevention and its mechanism

Cancer is a multifactorial disease that involves de-regulation of various signaling pathways. With an aim to develop a multiple signal modulation therapy of cancer, we have adopted different approaches, i.e., (i) to induce apoptosis, (ii) to retard metastasis and (ii) to inhibit angiogenesis in cancer cells. Moreover, since resistance to DNA damage-induced apoptosis is one of the several factors that sabotage the successful management of cancer, we also aim at regulating the cell’s decision of ‘resistance to apoptosis’ switch over and to delineate the underlying mechanisms. According to the recent hypothesis, tumorigenesis and its maintenance, metastasis and drug-resistance are driven by a limited subpopulation of tumor-initiating cells, i.e., cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs retain stem like properties, e.g., ability to self renew, increased proliferative capacity, and ability to differentiate into different lineages. Another aim of our study is to target these CSCs to uproot cancer from its origin. Mapping the molecular mechanisms of cancer-induced immunosuppression and immuno-editing in tumor-bearer is another aim of our research. Besides, studies on the management of cancer by molecular engineering-based therapeutic strategy, e.g., gene therapy, are also in progress.

Objectives 

Cancer Biology

·        To develop a multiple signal modulation therapy of cancer: A mechanistic approach to induce apoptosis, retard metastasis and inhibit angiogenesis

·        Management of drug resistance in cancer: Targeting the problem at the molecular level

·        Integrated genome analysis to reveal oncomir/oncogene cross-talk in cancer: An approach towards a targeted therapy to uproot “root of all evils” - the cancer stem cells

·        Molecular engineering-based therapeutic strategy, e.g., gene therapy, for the management of cancer

Cancer Immunology  

·        To delineate the molecular mechanisms of cancer-induced immune-suppression: An approach towards immuno-editing in tumor-bearer

        [Details of research work]

 Collaborators 

·         Prof. Gaurisankar Sa, Bose Institute (collaborator)

·         Dr. James Finke, Cleveland Clinic, USA (collaborator)

·         Dr. Charles Tannenbaum, Cleveland Clinic, USA (collaborator)

·         Dr. Samit Chattopadhyay, NCCS, Pune (Collaborator)

·         Dr. Rathin Chakrabarty, CCRH (Collaborator)

·         Dr. Diptendra Sarkar, SSKM (Collaborator)

·         Prof. Parimal Sen, Bose Institute, Kolkata (collaborator) 

Name of group members

 Editor of Scientific Journals

·            World Journal of Hepatology

·            World Journal of Clinical Oncology

·            World Journal of Oncology

Reviewing Board Member of Scientific Journals

·         Carcinogenesis

·         Neoplasia

·         Cancer Molecules

·         Cellular Immunology

• British J Pharmacology

·         Cancer Letters

·         Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology

·         Toxicological Sciences

·         Free Radical Biology and Medicine

·         J Bioscience

·         Indian Journal of Medical Research

·         J Food Chemistry

 Publications during last five years

1. Chakrabarty J, Banerjee S, Roy P, Bhattacharyya S, Hossain D Md. S, Adhikary A, Chattopadhyay S, Das T and Sa G. Gain of cellular adaptation due to prolong p53 impairment leads to functional switch-over from p53 to p73 during DNA damage in acute myeloid leukemia cells. J. Biol. Chem. (In press) (2010)

2. Das T, Sa G, Saha S, Mukherjee S, Mazumdar M and Mukherjee S. p53, a tumor suppressor at the crossroads of the oncogenic networks in cancer: Targeting the ‘guardian of the genome’. Prospective in Cytolology & Genet. 14, (In press) (2010)

3. Sa G, Das T, Roy P, Banerjee S and Chakraborty J. Oncogenes as molecular target for curcumin-induced cancer cell apoptosis. Prospective in Cytology & Genetics 14, (In press) (2010)

4. Mohanty S, Adhikary A, Chakrabarty S, Sa G and Das T. Operation ‘p53 Hunt’ to combat cancer: Theaflavins in action. Frontiers in Biosciences (Invited submission) (2010)

5. Hossain DMS, Bhattacharyya S, Das T, and Sa G. Curcumin: The multi-targeted therapy for cancer regression. Frontiers in Biosciences (Invited submission) (2010)

6. Bhattacharyya S, Hossain D Md. S, Mohanty S, Sen GS, Chattopadhyay S, Banerjee S, Chakraborty J, Das K, Sarkar D, Das T and Sa G. Curcumin reverses T cell-mediated adaptive immune dysfunctions in tumor bearing host. Cell. Mol. Immunol. 7, 306-15 (2010)

7. Lahiry L, Saha B, Chakraborty J, Adhikary A, Banerjee S, Das K, Sa G and Das T. Theaflavins target Fas/caspase-8 and Akt/pBad pathways to induce apoptosis in p53-mutated human breast cancer cells. Carcinogenesis 31, 259-68, (2010)

8. Adhikary A, Mohanty S, Lahiry L, Hossain D Md. S, Chakraborty S and Das T Theaflavins retard human breast cancer cell migration by inhibiting NF-kB via p53-dependent ROS generation. FEBS Letts. 584, 7-14 (2010)

9. Das T, Sa G, Saha B and Das K. Multifocal signal modulation therapy of cancer: Ancient weapon, modern targets. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 336, 85–95 (2010)

10. Sa G, Das T, Banerjee S and Chakrabarty J. Curcumin: From exotic spice to modern anticancer drug. A A J Med Sci. 3, 21-37 (2010)

11. Chattopadhyay S, Bhattacharyya S, Saha B, Chakrabarty J, Mohanty S, Hossain DMS, Banerjee S, Das K, Sa G and Das T. Tumor-shed PGE2 impairs IL2Rc-signaling to inhibit CD4+ T cell survival: Regulation by theaflavins. PLoS One 4, e7382 (2009)

12. Chatterjee S, Mookerjee A, Mookerjee Basu J, Chakraborty P, Ganguly A, Adhikary A, Mukhopadhyay D, Banerjee R, Ashraf M, Biswas J, Das PK, Sa G, Chatterjee M, Das T and Chaudhuri SK. CuNG, a novel copper complex, modulates drug resistant tumor associated macrohages to reprogram T cells to elicit anti-tumor response. PLoS One 4, e7048 (2009)

13. Sa G, Das T, Moon C, Hilston CM, Rayman PA, Rini BI, Tannenbaum CS, Finke JH. GD3, an Overexpressed Tumor-Derived Ganglioside, Mediates the Apoptosis of Activated but not Resting T Cells. Cancer Res. 69, 3095-104, 2009 [Sa G and Das T both contributed equally to this paper].

14. Parton M, Das T, Sa G, Finke J, Eisen T, Tannenbaum C. Tumour Necrosis Factor - Misnomer and Therapeutic Target. In: Targeted Therapy for Renal Cell Carcinoma (Ed: Dr. R Bukowski). Springer Publishing Company, New York, NY. Chapter 19, 425-488 (2009)

15. Lahiry L, Saha B, Chakraborty J, Bhattacharyya S, Chattopadhyay S, Choudhuri T, Mandal D, Bhattacharyya A, Sa G and Das T. Contribution of p53-mediated transcription-dependent pathway in mammary epithelial carcinoma cell apoptosis by theaflavins. Apoptosis 13, 771-81 (2008)

16. Das T, Sa G, Paszkiewicz-Kozik E, Hilston C, Molto L, Rayman P, Biswas K, Kudo D, Bukowski RM, Finke JH and Tannenbaum C. Tumors Induce T Cell Apoptosis Through Receptor-Dependent and Receptor-Independent Pathways. J. Immunol. 180, 4687-96 (2008)

17. Das T, Sa G, Hilston C, Kudo D, Rayman P, Biswas K, Molto L, Bukowski R, Rini B, Finke JH and Tannenbaum C. GM1 and TNFa, overexpressed in renal cell carcinoma, synergize to induce T cell apoptosis. Cancer Research 68, 2014-23 (2008)

18. Sa G, Das T. Anti cancer effects of curcumin: cycle of life and death. Cell Div. 3, 14 (2008)

19. Das T, Sa G, Chattopadhyay S and Saha B. Black tea: The Future Panacea for Cancer. A A J Med Sci. 1, 70-83 (2008)

20. Bhattacharyya A, Mandal D, Lahiry L, Bhattacharyya S, Chattopadhyay S, Ghosh UK, Sa G and Das T. Black Tea-Induced Amelioration of Hepatic Oxidative Stress through Antioxidative Activity in EAC-Bearing Mice. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol. 26, 245-54 (2007)

21. Bhattacharyya S, Mandal D, Saha B, Sen GS, Das T and Sa G. Curcumin prevents tumor-induced T cell apoptosis through Stat-5a-mediated Bcl-2 induction. J Biol Chem. 282, 15954-64 (2007)

22. Mandal D, Bhattacharyya S, Lahiry L, Chattopadhyay S, Sa G and Das T. Black tea-induced decrease in IL-10 and TGF-b of tumor cells promotes Th1/Tc1 response in tumor-bearer. Nutrition Cancer 58, 213-21 (2007)

23. Raval G, Biswas S, Rayman P, Biswas K, Sa G, Ghosh S, Thornton M, Hilston C, Das T, Bukowski R, Finke J and Tannenbaum CS. TNF-α Induction of GM2 Expression on Renal Cell Carcinomas Promotes T cell Dysfunction. J Immunol. 178, 6642-522 (2007)

24. Bhattacharyya S, Mandal D, Sen GS, Pal S, Banerjee S, Lahiry L, Finke JH, Tannenbum CS, Das T and Sa G. Tumor-induced oxidative stress perturbs NFB activity augmenting TNFa-mediated T cell death: Protection by curcumin. Cancer Research. 67, 362-70 (2007)

25. Chattopadhyay S, Saha B, Mandal D, Sa G & Das T. Black tea: A Review. In: Economic Crisis in Tea Industry: Strategies for Scientific Management. (Ed: Dr. F. Rahman and Dr. Peter Baker). ISTS Book 3 of the Book series Global Advances in Tea Science. Studium Press LLC, Houston Texas, USA. Chapter 34, (2007)

26. Dasgupta R, Saha I, Pal S, Bhattacharyya A, Sa G, Nag TC, Das T and Maiti BR. Immunosuppression, hepatotoxicity and depression of antioxidant status by arecoline. Toxicology 227:94-104, 2006 [Das T & Maity BR both are corresponding authors in this paper]

27. Das T, Sa G and Siddiqi M. Potential targets of tea polyphenols in cancer prevention: significance in angiogenesis, metastasis and apoptosis as well as in protection of host defense system. In: Protective effects of tea on human health (Eds. J Weisberger, N K Jain and M Siddiqi) Cabi London, 76-90, 2006

28. Biswas K, Richmond A , Rayman P, Biswas S, Thornton M, Sa G, Das T, Zhang R, Chahlavi A, Tannenbaum CS, Novick A, Bukowski R and Finke JH. GM2 Expression in renal cell carcinoma: Potential role in tumor-induced immune dysfunction. Cancer Research. 66:6816-25, 2006

29. Bhattacharyya A, Chattopadhyay S & Das T. Tea: A journey across time from beverage to anticancer agent. In: Emerging Pollutants: Impact on Agriculture, Environment and Health (Ed. De A and Gupta S), Allied Publishers, India, Chapter 15, 157-163, 2006

30. Mookerjee A, Mookerjee Basu J, Dutta P, Majumder S, Bhattacharyya S, Biswas J, Pal S, Mukherjee P, Raha S, Baral RN, Das T, Efferth T, Sa G, Roy S, Choudhuri SK. Overcoming drug resistant cancer by a newly developed copper chelate through host protective cytokine mediated apoptosis. Clinical Cancer Research 12:4339-49, 2006

31. Bhattacharyya A, Lahiry L, Mandal D, Sa G and Das T. Black tea induces tumor cell apoptosis by Bax translocation, loss in mitochondrial transmembrane potential, cytochrome c release and caspase activation. Int. J. Cancer 117:308-15, 2005

32. Mandal D, Bhattacharyya A, Lahiry L, Bhattacharyya S, Sa G and Das T. Tumor-induced thymic involution via Inhibition of IL-7Ra and its JAK-STAT signaling pathway: Protection by Black Tea. Int. Immunopharmacol. 6:433-44, 2005

33. Pal S, Bhattacharya S, Choudhuri T, Datta GK, Das T and Sa G. Amelioration of immune cell number depletion and potentiation of depressed detoxification system of tumor-bearing mice by curcumin. Cancer Detection Prevention, 29:470-8, 2005

34. Mandal D, Bhattacharyya A, Lahiry L, Sa G and Das T. Failure in peripheral immuno-surveillance due to thymic atrophy: Importance of thymocyte maturation and apoptosis in adult tumor-bearer. Life Sci. 77:2703-16, 2005

35. Choudhuri T, Pal S, Das T & Sa G. Curcumin selectively induces apoptosis in deregu¬lated cyclin D1 expressed cells at G2 phase of cell cycle in a p53-dependent manner. J. Biol. Chem. 280:20059-68, 2005

36. Mandal D, Lahiry L, Bhattacharyya A, Chattopadhyay S, Siddiqi M, Sa G and Das T. Black tea protects thymocytes in tumor-bearers by differential regulation of intracellular ROS in tumor cells and thymocytes. J. Environ. Toxicol. Pathol. Oncol. 24:91-104, 2005

37. Lahiry L, Mandal D, Bhattacharyya A, Sa G & Das T. Cancer prevention by cancer regression and rejuvenation of host defense system: Dual role of tea. In: Tea Therapeutics (Eds. B Banerjee & TC Chaudhury) Science Publishers, INC., USA, UK, pp 89-112, 2005

38. Bandyopadhyay S, Bhattacharyya A, Mallick A, Sen AK, Tripathi G, Das T, Sa G, Bhattacharya DK and Mandal C. Over expressed IgG2 antibodies against O-acetylated sialoglycoconjugates incapable of proper effector functioning in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Int. Immunol. 17:177-91, 2005
 

  [Details of Publications]

 Patents

1. Sa G & Das T. A process for producing therapeutically active pure curcumin from Curcuma longa Linn. The gazette of India, Part III, Section 2, August 30, 2003 (under process to commercialize by NICCO Biotech Ltd., India).

 Awards and Honours received

 1.        Received Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India’s National Young Woman Bio-scientist Award for 2004 for out-standing research in “Development of anti-cancer drugs from plant sources” 

2.        Received Seva Samman award from Dakshin Kolkata Krira & Sanskriti Samsad in 2005

3.        Received Anwesa Samman from Anwesa Cultural Organization, Kolkata, in 2005, for her contribution in both the fields of Science and Culture.

4.        Recipient of Rupa Chakrabarty Memorial Award of Bethune College, kolkata, in 2008, for her contribution in both science and culture.