Cheryl L. Jorcyk, Ph.D.

The Jorcyk Laboratory of Inflammatory Cytokines in Tumor Invasion and Metastasis

Our laboratory’s research interests are in the area of inflammatory cytokines and their role in tumor invasion and metastasis. For approximately 20 years, we have focused on studying how the interleukin-6 (IL-6)-family member oncostatin M (OSM) contributes to breast carcinoma progression. Our lab has conducted some of the field’s first research on OSM and cancer metastasis, particularly to bone and lung. We have been the first to demonstrate that OSM promotes increased numbers of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in mouse models of human breast cancer. Now we are addressing both how OSM interacts with IL-6 and promotes extracellular matrix remodeling in breast cancer metastasis. In addition, we have developed numerous cell lines and mouse tumor models of breast carcinoma.

• Students engage in primary literature in molecular biology techniques using an online journal club format. Oxford JT, Jorcyk CL. Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 2020 Nov;48(6):675-677. doi: 10.1002/bmb.21472. Epub 2020 Oct 20.
• Macrophages expedite cell proliferation of prostate intraepithelial neoplasia through their downstream target ERK. Thomas MU, Messex JK, Dang T, Abdulkadir SA, Jorcyk CL, Liou GY. FEBS J. 2020 Aug 31. doi: 10.1111/febs.15541. Online ahead of print.
• Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Matrix Biology: Building Research Infrastructure, Supporting Young Researchers, and Fostering Collaboration. Oxford JT, Cornell KA, Romero JJ, Smith DB, Yarnell TL, Wood RM, Jorcyk CL, Lujan TJ, Albig AR, Mitchell KA, McDougal OM, Fologea D, Estrada D, Tinker JK, Nagarajan R, Warner DL, Rohn TT, Browning J, Beard RS Jr, Warner LR, Morrison BE, Fitzpatrick CK, Uzer G, Bond L, Frahs SM, Keller-Peck C, Pu X, Woodbury LG, Turner MW. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Mar 20;21(6):2141. doi: 10.3390/ijms21062141.
• OSM-induced CD44 contributes to breast cancer metastatic potential through cell detachment but not epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Covert H, Mellor LF, Wolf CL, Ankenbrandt N, Emathinger JM, Tawara K, Oxford JT, Jorcyk CL. Cancer Manag Res. 2019 Aug 15;11:7721-7737. doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S208721. eCollection 2019.
• HIGH expression of OSM and IL-6 are associated with decreased breast cancer survival: synergistic induction of IL-6 secretion by OSM and IL-1β. Tawara K, Scott H, Emathinger J, Wolf C, LaJoie D, Hedeen D, Bond L, Montgomery P, Jorcyk C. Oncotarget. 2019 Mar 12;10(21):2068-2085. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.26699. eCollection 2019 Mar
• IL-6 and ovarian cancer: inflammatory cytokines in promotion of metastasis. Browning L, Patel MR, Horvath EB, Tawara K, Jorcyk CL. Cancer Manag Res. 2018 Dec 5;10:6685-6693. doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S179189. eCollection 2018.
• Co-Expression of VEGF and IL-6 Family Cytokines is Associated with Decreased Survival in HER2 Negative Breast Cancer Patients: Subtype-Specific IL-6 Family Cytokine-Mediated VEGF Secretion. Tawara K, Scott H, Emathinger J, Ide A, Fox R, Greiner D, LaJoie D, Hedeen D, Nandakumar M, Oler AJ, Holzer R, Jorcyk C. Transl Oncol. 2019 Feb;12(2):245-255. doi: 10.1016/j.tranon.2018.10.004. Epub 2018 Nov 12.
• OSM potentiates preintravasation events, increases CTC counts, and promotes breast cancer metastasis to the lung. Tawara K, Bolin C, Koncinsky J, Kadaba S, Covert H, Sutherland C, Bond L, Kronz J, Garbow JR, Jorcyk CL. Breast Cancer Res. 2018 Jun 14;20(1):53. doi: 10.1186/s13058-018-0971-5.
• DICER1 Syndrome: DICER1 Mutations in Rare Cancers. Robertson JC, Jorcyk CL, Oxford JT. Cancers (Basel). 2018 May 15;10(5):143. Doi: 10.3390/cancers10050143
• Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Unfolded Protein Response in Cartilage Pathophysiology; Contributing Factors to Apoptosis and Osteoarthritis. Hughes A, Oxford AE, Tawara K, Jorcyk CL, Oxford JT. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Mar 20;18(3):665. doi:10.3390/ijms18030665.

Cytokines 2020, International Cytokine & Interferon Society annual conference, Seattle, WA (virtual), November 1-4, 2020

Short Presentation #1:  Current understandings on how an inflammatory tumor microenvironment promotes invasion and early stage breast cancer metastasis. Simion C. Dinca, Daniel Greiner, Ken Tawara, and Cheryl L. Jorcyk

Short Presentation #2:  A new mechanism for  proinflammatory cytokine-promoted extracellular matrix remodeling in breast cancer. Simion C. Dinca, Daniel Greiner, and Cheryl  L. Jorcyk

AACR 2021, American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (virtual), April 9-14, 2021.

Ken Tawara, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow

Simion Dinca
BMOL PhD Student

Cody Wolf
BMOL PhD Student

Travis Wertz
BMOL PhD Student

Terrell Engmann
BMOL PhD Rotation Student

Geraline Trossi-Tores
BMOL PhD Rotation Student
INBRE Research Fellowship

Haylie Grant
Undergraduate Student
B2B Research Fellow

Cooper McGrath
Undergraduate Student
B2B Research Fellow

Cassie Wigfall
Undergraduate Student

Gwynn Spielman
Undergraduate

Chris Johns
Borah High School, Murdock Charitable Trust Partner in Science

N/A

TBA