1. How to present a scientific paper
Dr. Rebecca B. Riggins
Department of Oncology, Georgetown University

2. Outline Preliminary thoughts on the assigned reading
Typical structure of a scientific paper
Differences dictated by journal in which it is published
Discussion of Zhao et al., with comparisons to Schafer et al.
Final thoughts on the assigned reading

3. Today’s readings

4. ‘A scientific paper is like an hourglass’
Introduction
(Materials and Methods)
Results
Discussion
Abstract = mini hourglass

5. ‘The width of the hourglass is inversely proportional to importance’
Introduction
(Materials and Methods)
Results
Discussion
RESULTS and the HYPOTHESIS/RATIONALE are key when it comes to presenting a scientific paper
The Introduction is useful for background
The Discussion is a useful summary

6. Zhao et al.: ErbB2, glycolysis, and breast cancer growth
Key words in the title will be better described in the
Introduction section
This should guide you in preparing 3 or 4 slides to
introduce the paper and why the study is important…

7. Cancer cell metabolism
Normal cells and cancer cells differ in how they derive energy from glucose
Normal: aerobic
Cancer: anaerobic
Cancer cell glycolysis dependence = Warburg effect
Explain this graphically using simple images
O2+glucose  glycolysis  oxidative phosphorylation  38 ATP
glucose  glycolysis only  2 ATP

8. Please DON’T do this

9. A simple diagram of glycolysis vs. oxidative phosphorylation
Multiple molecules and
pathways can regulate
glycolysis
Some of these include:
Ras, PI3K, mTOR, Src
These are all targets of
the receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB2
Please cite your source!

10. The full ErbB family signaling pathway
Ereg
Areg
Btc
HBEGF
Nrg 1,2
EGF
TGFa
Nrg 3,4
E r b B 1
E r b B 4
E r b B 4
E r b B 4
E r b B 1
E r b B 1
E r b B 2
E r b B 3
E r b B 4
E r b B 3
E r b B 3
E r b B 2
GRB2
SHC
SOS
PI3K
Nck
PDK1
Ras
PLC-g
CDC42
FKHR
Akt/ PKB
Raf
PAK
PKC
mTOR
GSK3b
MKK 3/6
Anti-Apoptosis
MEK 1/2
p70S6K
JNK
p38
ERKs
Translation
c-Fos
Elk1
c-Jun
2009
ProteinLounge.com C
Gene Expression

11. Relevant ErbB family signaling
Ereg
Areg
Ligands
Btc
HBEGF
Nrg 1,2
EGF
TGFa
E r b B 1
E r b B 1
E r b B 2
E r b B 3
E r b B 2
Receptors
GRB2
SHC
SOS
PI3K
Ras
PDK1
Intracellular
signaling
Akt/ PKB
CDC42
FKHR
Raf
PAK
mTOR
GSK3b
MKK 3/6
Anti-Apoptosis
MEK 1/2
p70S6K
JNK
p38
ERKs
Translation
c-Fos
Elk1
c-Jun
Translation
2009
ProteinLounge.com C
Gene Expression

12. How might ErbB2 regulate glycolysis?
Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A) is a key glycolytic enzyme, and its expression is increased in mouse mammary epithelial cells that overexpress a form of ErbB2
Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is a transcription factor that regulates glucose metabolism which is itself regulated by Ras (a target of ErbB2)
Does ErbB2 regulate glycolysis through these molecules?

13. Experimental results
Select key figures that illustrate the important points
These are often positive, but if there is room for criticism please provide it
Do NOT attempt to describe every panel of every figure

14. Overexpression of Erb2 promotes glycolysis in breast cancer cells
O2 consumption

15. Overexpression of ErbB2 increases LDH-A and HSF1
…and knockdown of ErbB2 reduces LDH-A expression and glycolysis

16. Downregulation of HSF1 = reduced LDH-A and glycolysis
Use of Hsf1 -/- cells is a way
to confirm siRNA results

17. Glycolysis inhibitors, ErbB2, and cancer
2DG = glucose analog that cannot undergo glycolysis
Oligomycin = inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation
Oxamate = inhibitor of LDH, which converts pyruvate to lactate
Are ErbB2 overexpressing cells more sensitive to glycolysis inhibitors (and less sensitive to oxidative phosphorylation inhibitor)?

18. Overexpression of ErbB2 = sensitivity to glycolysis inhibitors, and sensitivity to oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors
Glycolysis inhibitor
Oxidative phosphorylation inhibitor
Similar results with 2DG in another
cell line overexpressing ErbB2

19. Downregulation HSF1 inhibits ErbB2 effects on glycolysis and sensitivity to inhibitors
Again, use of Hsf1 -/- cells is a way
to confirm siRNA results

20. Summary of Results ErBB2 siRNA Upregulation of HSF1 protein HSF1 siRNA
Increased LDH-A expression, enzyme activity
Increased glycolysis
Glycolysis inhibitors
Increased cell growth

21. Discussion section
This is a summary of the major findings, and their importance for the field of study
The first paragraph is the summary
Subsequent paragraphs elaborate on the key findings and place them in context

22. Schafer et al.: metabolic defects due to cellular detachment
Nature papers are ‘different’

23. Thank you for your attention!
Questions?
If you would like an electronic copy of this presentation, you can download it here:
Under Resources, click ‘Lectures’
Click ‘How to present a scientific paper’