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Doctoral Degree
Applied Chemistry, University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Email:
KaufmannYihong@uams.edu
Research Interest:
My current research focuses on the development of an amino acid (glutamine (GLN)) dietary supplementation for prevention of tumor growth or recurrence as well as augmentation of radiation, chemotherapies or other treatments to support an anticipated breast cancer prevention trial using GLN. I have demonstrated that oral supplemental GLN significantly inhibited tumor growth in the implantable sarcoma and breast cancer models, as well as in the chemical (DMBA)-induced carcinogenesis model, and also enhanced tumor kill with both radiation and chemotherapy. I have shown that this tumor reduction by GLN was associated with increases in arterial blood, breast and gut mucosa glutathione (GSH) concentrations and decreases in tumor GSH concentration, restoration of gut GSH production and delivery to the liver, and decreases in serum levels of PGE2, IGF-I and TGF-b. Recently I have proposed that the dietary GLN will act synergistically with hormonal therapies, to treat and/or prevent breast cancer and/or reduce toxicity through its effect on GSH metabolism, growth factors, and/or apoptotic signaling. Moreover, I have intended to extend my research area based on the role of GLN. With my strong chemistry background, I approach to synthesize the differently labeled GLNs and use them to further explore the mechanisms of GLN antitumor action, as well as to detect the tumor cell, which will provide a powerful tool in clinical application. In addition, I have participated in developing new devices for cancer treatment and detection. The technique is applied to the cancer ablation. The device is utilized for the cancer-free margin detection. I will continue to research in this area. Recently I have involved in another project that low dose fractionated radiation enhances cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), by counteracting chemotherapy resistance. This project provides a novel and effective treatment for ATC to improve patient survival, as well as has potential to benefit other solid malignancy patients.
My long-term research career goals are to study the prevention, treatment and detection of cancer through exploring the mechanisms and developing new techniques and to work on the basic science research toward the clinical application.
Selected Publications:
Klimberg VS, Kornbluth J, Cao Y, Dang A, Blossom S, Schaeffer R: Glutamine suppersses PGE2 synthesis and breast cancer growth. J Surg Res, 63(1):293-7, 1996.
Johnson AT, Kaufmann YC, Luo S, Todorova V, Klimberg VS: Effect of glutamine on glutathione, IGF-I, and TGF-beta 1. J Surg Res, 111(2):222-8, 2003.
Todorova VK, Harms SA, Luo S, Kaufmann Y, Babb KB, Klimberg VS: Oral glutamine (AES-14) supplementation inhibits PI-3k/Akt signaling in experimental breast cancer. JPEN, 27(6):404-10, 2003.
Kaufmann Y, Kornbluth J, Feng Z, Fahr M, Schaefer RF, Klimberg VS: Effect of glutamine on the initiation and promotion phases of DMBA-induced mammary tumor development. JPEN, 27(6):411-8, 2003.
Johnson AT, Kaufmann Y, Luo S, Babb K, Hawk R, Klimberg VS: Gut glutathione metabolism and changes with 7,12-DMBA and glutamine. J Surg Res, 115(2):242-6, 2003.
Todorova VK, Harms SA, Kaufmann Y, Luo S, Luo KQ, Babb K, Klimberg VS: Effect of dietary glutamine on tumor glutathione levels and apoptosis-related proteins in DMBA-induced breast cancer of rats. Breast Cancer Res Treat, 88(3):247-56, 2004.
Todorova VK, Kaufmann Y, Luo S, Klimberg VS: Modulation of P53 and C-myc in DMBA-induced mammary tumors by oral glutamine. Nutrition and Cancer 54(2):263-73,2006.
Shafirstein G, Hennings L, Kaufmann Y, Novak P, Moros EG, Ferguson S, Siegel E, Klimberg VS, Waner M, Spring P: Intraoperative conductive interstitial thermal therapy (CITT) to minimize local recurrence following tumor resection of early-stage breast cancer. Technol Cancer Res Treat, Accepted.
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