Breast cancer is a major health problem causing major mortality and morbidity. Our main focus in the lab is understanding how normal cells are transformed into cancer. 

To begin understanding this complex question, we are interested mainly in the 3' UTRs (untranslated regions) of mRNAs. 

Transcriptome diversity generated by splicing and alternative use of polyadenylation sites is still mostly a  hidden complexity. We are interested in the identification and characterization of mRNA 3'-end isoforms in breast cancer cells. We use a combinatorial approach to decipher noncanonical mRNA and protein isoforms to understand protein interactions and intricate molecular mechanisms.

Recent Publications:

• An alternatively spliced PD-L1 isoform PD-L1∆3, and PD-L2 expression in breast cancers: implications for eligibility scoring and immunotherapy response. Dioken DN, Ozgul I, Yilmazbilek I, Yakicier MC, Karaca E, Erson-Bensan AE. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2023 Dec;72(12):4065-4075. doi: 10.1007/s00262-023-03543-y. Epub 2023 Sep 28. PMID: 37768345.
• Differential translation of mRNA isoforms underlies oncogenic activation of cell cycle kinase Aurora A. Cacioppo R, Akman HB, Tuncer T, Erson-Bensan AE, Lindon C. Elife. 2023 Jun 29;12:RP87253. doi: 10.7554/eLife.87253. PMID: 37384380; PMCID: PMC10328522.

• Differential expression of mRNA 3'-end isoforms in cervical and ovarian cancers. Dioken DN, Ozgul I, Koksal Bicakci G, Gol K, Can T, Erson-Bensan AE. Heliyon. 2023 Sep 9;9(9):e20035. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20035. PMID: 37810050; PMCID: PMC10559779.
• Assessment of silicon, glass, FR4, PDMS and PMMA as a chip material for acoustic particle/cell manipulation in microfluidics. Açıkgöz HN, Karaman A, Şahin MA, Çaylan ÖR, Büke GC, Yıldırım E, Eroğlu İC, Erson-Bensan AE, Çetin B, Özer MB.  Ultrasonics. 2023 Mar;129:106911. doi: 10.1016/j.ultras.2022.106911. Epub 2022 Dec 9. PMID: 36528906.

• EGFR endocytosis: more than meets the eye. Sapmaz A, Erson-Bensan AE. Oncotarget. 2023 Apr 10;14:297-301. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.28400. PMID: 37036745; PMCID: PMC10085055.
• Versatile RNA: Overlooked gems of the transcriptome. Erdem M, Cicek M, Erson Bensan AE. FEBS J. 2023 Jan 31.  doi: 10.1111/febs.16742. 
• EGF-SNX3-EGFR axis drives tumor progression and metastasis in triple-negative breast cancers. Cicek E, Circir A, Oyken M, Akbulut Caliskan O, Dioken DN, Guntekin Ergun S, Cetin-Atalay R, Sapmaz A, Ovaa H, Sahin O, Erson-Bensan AE. Oncogene. 2022 Jan;41(2):220-232. doi: 10.1038/s41388-021-02086-9. PMID: 34718348
•  A C-term truncated EIF2Bγ protein encoded by an intronically polyadenylated isoform introduces unfavorable EIF2Bγ-EIF2γ interactions. Circir A, Koksal Bicakci G, Savas B, Doken DN, Henden ŞO, Can T, Karaca E, Erson-Bensan AE. Proteins. 2022 Mar;90(3):889-897. doi: 10.1002/prot.26284. Nov 26. PMID: 34796993
• Identification of an mRNA isoform switch for HNRNPA1 in breast cancers.Erdem M, Ozgul İ, Dioken DN, Gurcuoglu I, Guntekin Ergun S, Cetin-Atalay R, Can T, Erson-Bensan AE. Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 27;11(1):24444. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04007-y. PMID: 34961772.
• RNA-biology ruling cancer progression? Focus on 3'UTRs and splicing. Erson-Bensan AE. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2020 Sep;39(3):887-901. doi: 10.1007/s10555-020-09884-9.PMID: 32361913
• USP32 regulates late endosomal transport and recycling through deubiquitylation of Rab7. Sapmaz A, Berlin I, Bos E, Wijdeven RH, Janssen H, Konietzny R, Akkermans JJ, Erson-Bensan AE, Koning RI, Kessler BM, Neefjes J, Ovaa H. Nat Commun. 2019 Mar 29;10(1):1454. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-09437-x.PMID: 30926795
• Alternative Polyadenylation Patterns for Novel Gene Discovery and Classification in Cancer. Begik O, Oyken M, Cinkilli Alican T, Can T, Erson-Bensan AE. Neoplasia. 2017 Jul;19(7):574-582. doi: 10.1016/j.neo.2017.04.008. Epub 2017 Jun 15.PMID: 28624626