About
Research interests
We study the molecular mechanisms of normal, cancer and stem cells functioning in order to determine new possibilities in cancer therapy and regenerative medicine. Studies are designed to predict the outcome of treatment in in vitro models and in the individual cases (Personalized Cancer Therapy):
- Evaluation of proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis signaling in human cancer and stem cells in in vitro and in vivo models
- Determination of epigenetic regulation in stem cells during self-renewing and differentiation
- Manipulation of signaling molecules in chemotherapeutic drugs-induced pathway for establishment of new strategies for targeted anti-cancer treatment of many tumors
Research resources and services/Offer
Cancer and stem cell culturing (isolation, cultivation, differentiation), Flow cytometry analysis (sample preparation and analysis, cell cycle checkpoints), Protein fractionation one or two dimensional electrophoresis (SDS/PAGE and 2DE, further preparation for mass spectrometry analysis), Real-time PCR analysis, Epigenetic markers (histone modifications, DNA methylation), Chromatin immunoprecipitation (sonication, ChIP and PCR), Microscopy, Cytoxicity evaluation and signaling mechanisms determination in cellular models.
Projects
Research projects
Project Supported by University Budget
Studies of regulatory mechanisms of cancer and stem cell for new technologies of personalized medicine. Prof. R. Navakauskienė. 2014-2018.
Projects Supported by Research Council of Lithuania
National Science program project „Multiplexed molecular biomarker study for leukemia“ (No. LIG-06-2012) Prof. Rūta Navakauskienė. 2012-2014
National Science program project “Bee products enriched with plant components, the composition and properties”(No. SVE-01/2012) Dr. Bogumila Kurtinaitienė. 2012-2015
“Cytological, molecular and epigenetic studies of amniotic fluid” (No. MIP-033/2013) Dr. Gražina Treigytė. 2013-2015
National Science program project “The role of molecular modulators in the hematological system during cell senescence, differentiation and regeneration” (No. SEN-12/2015) Prof. Rūta Navakauskienė. 2015–2018.
“Regulation of amniotic fluid‐derived stem cell functioning by microRNA and epigenetic factors” (No. MIP-57/2015) Dr. Jūratė Savickienė. 2015-2018.
Projects Supported by EU funding:
”Molecular processes in eukaryotic cells: technological and medical aspects”, 2012-2015, funded by the EU support program „Biotechnology and biopharmacy: fundamental and applied research“. Head prof. R. Navakauskienė.
”Molecular mechanisms of the toxicity and antitumor activity of quinones and polyphenols: enzymatic redox reactions, cytotoxicity, signal transduction and proteomics“. 2011-2015, funded via the Global Grant measure, managed using EU funding. Head habil. dr. N. Čėnas.
International Research Projects
CM1106 Chemical approaches to targeting drug resistance in cancer stem cells (StemChem). Prof. R. Navakauskienė. 2011-2015
BM1402 Development of a European network for preclinical testing of interventions in mouse models of age and age-related diseases (MouseAGE). Prof. R. Navakauskienė. 2014-2018.
CA15138 European Network of Multidisciplinary Research and Translation of Autophagy knowledge (TRANSAUTOPHAGY). Dr. Veronika Borutinskaitė. 2015- 2019.
MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INOVATION) PARTNERS
Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Linkoping University (Sweden), Nice University (France), Milan University (Italy), Malta University (Malta), Northwestern University (USA)
Publications
2024
- Krastinaitė I., S. Charkavliuk, R. Navakauskienė, V.V. Borutinskaitė. 2024. Metformin as an enhancer for the treatment of chemoresistant CD34+acute myeloid leukemia cells. Genes15(5) 648.
- Žukauskaitė D., A. Zentelytė, Girniutė, R. Navakauskienė. 2024. The outcome of tissue cryopreservation on the cellular, molecular and epigenetic characteristics of endometrial tissue and stromal cells. Reproductive Biomedicine Online 45(2): 103990.
2023
- Baušytė R., B. Vaigauskaitė Mažeikienė, V. Borutinskaitė, E. Valatkaitė, J. Besusparis, R.B. Valkiūnienė, E. Kazėnaitė, D. Ramašauskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2023. Human endometrium-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells application in endometrial-factor induced infertility. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 11: 1227487
- Gramignoli R., N. Hofmann, M. Agudo-Barriuso, M. Antica, A. Flores, L. Girandon, H. Kerdjoudj, R. Navakauskienė, J. Schiavi, H. Scholz, V. Shablii, X. Lafarge, F.J. Nicolas, F. Gindraux. 2023. Expert revision of key elements for clinical-grade production and qualification of perinatal derivatives. Stem Cells Translational Medicine DOI 10.1093/stcltm/szad068
- Hofmann N., X. Lafarge, M. Antica, N. Ferry, L. Girandon, R. Gramignoli, M. Jurga, H. Kerdjoudj, R. Navakauskienė, J. Schiavi 12, V. Shablii, F. J. Nicolás, F. Gindraux. 2023. Expert consideration on regulatory aspects for perinatal derivatives in clinical settings. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 12(5): 258-265.
- Navakauskienė R., D. Žukauskaitė, V.V Borutinskaitė, T. Bukreieva, G. Skliutė, E. Valatkaitė, A. Zentelytė, L. Piešinienė, V. Shablii. 2023. Effects of human placenta cryopreservation on molecular characteristics of placental mesenchymal stromal cells. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 11:1140781.
- Skliutė G., B. Vaigauskaitė-Mažeikienė, A. Kaupinis, M. Valius, E. Kazėnaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2023. The effects of the follicle-stimulating hormone on human follicular fluid-derived stromal cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24(3): 2450.
- Stulpinas A., M. Sereika, A. Vitkevičienė, A. Imbrasaitė, N. Krestnikova, A. Kalvelytė. 2023. Crosstalk between protein kinases AKT and ERK1/2 in human lung tumor-derived cell models. Frontiers in Oncology 12: 1045521.
- Vaigauskaitė-Mažeikienė B., R. Baušytė, E. Valatkaitė, R. Mazelytė, E. Kazėnaitė, D. Ramasauskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2023. Assisted reproductive technology outcomes and gene expression in unexplained infertility patients. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 11: 1217808.
- Valiulienė G., A. Zentelytė, E. Beržanskytė, R. Navakauskienė. 2023.Effect of 3D spheroid culturing on NF-kappa B signaling pathway and neurogenic potential in human amniotic fluid stem. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24(4): 3584.
- Valiulienė G., V. Valiulis, A. Zentelytė, K. Dapšys, A. Germanavičius, R. Navakauskienė. 2023. Anti-neuroinflammatory microRNA-146a-5p as a potential biomarker for neuronavigation-guided rTMS therapy success in medication resistant depression disorder. Biomedicine&Pharmacotheraphy 166: 115313.
- Žukauskaitė D., A. Vitkevičienė, A. Žlibinaitė, R. Baušytė, D. Ramašauskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2023. Histone H4 hyperacetylation but not DNA methylation regulates the expression of decidualization-associated genes during induced human endometrial stromal cells decidualization. International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology 156: 106362.
2022
- Borutinskaitė V., A.Zučenka, A. Vitkevičienė, M. Stoškus, A. Kaupinis, M. Valius, E. Gineikienė, R. Navakauskienė. 2022. Genetic and epigenetic signatures in acute promyelocytic leukemia treatment and molecular remission. Frontiers in Genetics 13: 821676.
- Čeksterytė V., A. Kaupinis, K. Jaskunė, G. Treigytė, R. Navakauskienė. 2022. Characteristics of honey bee physiological proteins extracted from faba bean (Vicia faba L.) honey. Journal of Apicultural Research DOI 10.1080/00218839.2022.2070099.
- Navakauskienė R., S. Baronaitė, D. Matuzevičius, N. Krasovskaja, G. Treigytė, A. Arlauskienė, D. Navakauskas. 2022. Comparative proteomic assessment of normal vs. polyhydramnios amniotic fluid based on computational analysis. Biomedicines 10(8): 1821.
- Skliutė G., R. Baušytė, D. Ramašauskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2022. Characterization of epigenetic and molecular factors in endometrium of females with infertility. Biomedicines 10(6): 1324.
- Vaigauskaitė B., R. Baušytė, E. Valatkaitė, G. Skliutė, E. Kazėnaitė, D. Ramašauskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2022. Prognostic gene predictors of gestational diabetes in endometrium and follicular fluid of women after infertility. Medicina-Lithuania 58(4): 498.
- Vitkevičienė A., G. Skliutė, A. Žučenka, V. Borutinskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2022. Potential prognostic markers for relapsed/refractory vs. responsive acute myeloid leukemia. Cancers 14(11): 2752.
2021
- Čeksterytė V., G. Treigytė, D. Matuzevičius, K. Jaškūnė, D. Navakauskas, B. Kurtinaitienė, R. Navakauskienė. 2021. Comparative proteomic profile in bee- and manually-collected Taraxacum officinale pollen. Journal of Apicultural Research doi 10.1080/00218839.2021.1969819
- Olejarczyk E., A. Jozwik, V. Valiulis, K. Dapšys, G. Gerulskis, A. Germanavičius. 2021. Statistical analysis of graph-theoretic indices to study EEG-TMS connectivity in patients with depression. Frontiers in Neuroinformatics 15: 651082.
- Olejarczyk E., V. Valiulis, K. Dapšys, G. Gerulskis, A. Germanavičius. 2021. Effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on fronto-posterior and hemispheric asymmetry in depression. Biomedical Signal Processing and Control 68: 102585.
- Skliutė G., R. Baušytė, V.V. Borutinskaitė, G. Valiulienė, A. Kaupinis, M. Valius, D. Ramašauskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2021. Menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells' impact for the treatment perspective of female infertility. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22(13): 6774.
- Stulpinas A., T. Užusienis, A. Imbrasaitė, N. Krestnikova, A. Ungurytė, A.V. Kalvelytė. 2021. Cell-cell and cell-substratum contacts in the regulation of MAPK and Akt signalling: Importance in therapy, biopharmacy and bioproduction. Cellular Signalling 84: 110034
- Valatkaitė E., R. Baušytė, A. Vitkevičienė, D. Ramašauskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2021. Decidualization potency and epigenetic changes in human endometrial origin stem cells during propagation. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 9: 765265.
- Valiulienė G., V. Valiulis, K. Dapšys, A. Vitkevičienė, G. Gerulskis, R. Navakauskienė, A. Germanavičius. 2021. Brain stimulation effects on serum BDNF, VEGF, and TNF alpha in treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. European Journal of Neuroscience 53(11): 3791-3802.
- Valiulienė G., A. Vitkevičienė, G. Skliutė, V.V. Borutinskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2021. Pharmaceutical drug metformin and MCL1 inhibitor S63845 exhibit anticancer activity in myeloid leukemia cells via redox remodeling. Molecules 26(8): 2303.
- Valiulienė G., A. Zentelytė, E. Beržanskytė, R. Navakauskienė. 2021. Metabolic profile and neurogenic potential of human amniotic fluid stem cells from normal vs. fetus-affected gestations. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 9: 700634.
- Zentelytė A., D. Žukauskaitė, I. Jačerytė, V.V. Borutinskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 20201. Small molecule treatments improve differentiation potential of human amniotic fluid stem cells. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 9, 623886.
Monograph
- Navakauskienė Rūta, Navakauskas Dalius, Borutinskaitė Veronika Viktorija, Matuzevičius Dalius. Epigenetics and proteomics of leukemia. A synergy of experimental biology and computational informatics. Springer, 2021. 406 p. ISBN 9783030687076
2020
- Gasiūnienė M., E. Valatkaitė, A. Navakauskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2020. Long-term cultivation of human amniotic fluid stem cells: The impact on proliferative capacity and differentiation potential. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21(22): 8752.
- Gasiūnienė M., E. Valatkaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2020. Long-term cultivation of human amniotic fluid stem cells: The impact on proliferative capacity and differentiation potential. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 21: 3491-3501.
- Silini A.R., R. Di Pietro, I. Lang-Olip, F. Alviano, A. Banerjee, M. Basile, V. Borutinskaitė,G. Eissner, A. Gellhaus, B. Giebel, Yong-Can Huang, A. Janev, M. E. Kreft, N Kupper, A. C. Abadía-Molina, E. G Olivares, A. Pandolfi, A. Papait, M. Pozzobon, C. Ruiz-Rui, O. Soritau, S. Susman, D. Szukiewicz, A. Weidinger, S. Wolbank, B. Huppertz, O. Parolini. 2020. Perinatal derivatives: where do we stand? A roadmap of the human placenta and consensus for tissue and cell nomenclature. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 8: AN 610544.
- Valiulienė G., A. Vitkevičienė, R. Navakauskienė. 2020. The epigenetic treatment remodel genome-wide histone H4 hyper-acetylation patterns and affect signaling pathways in acute promyelocytic leukemia cells. European Journal of Pharmacology 889: 173641
- Zentelytė A., M. Gasiūnienė, G. Treigytė, S. Baronaitė, J. Savickienė, V. Borutinskaitė, R. Navakauskienė. 2019. Epigenetic regulation of amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cell differentiation to the mesodermal lineages at normal and fetus-diseased gestation. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 121: 1811-1822.
2019
- Borutinskaitė V., G. Treigytė, D. Matuzevičius, V. Čeksterytė, B. Kurtinaitienė, A. Serackis, D. Navakauskas, R. Navakauskienė. 2019. Proteomic studies of honeybee- and manually-collected pollen. Zemdirbyste-Agriculture 106: 183-190.
- Čeksterytė V., Borutinskaitė V., D. Matuzevičius, G. Treigytė, D. Navakauskas, B. Kurtinaitienė, R. Navakauskienė. 2019. Evaluation of proteome profiles of Salix spp. pollen and relationship between glucose oxidase activity and pollen content in willow honey. Baltic Forestry 25: 83-96.
- Gasiūnienė M., G. Petkus, D. Matuzevičius, D. Navakauskas, R. Navakauskienė. 2019. Angiotensin II and TGF-β1 induce alterations in human amniotic fluid-derived mesenchymal stem cells leading to cardiomyogenic differentiation initiation. International Journal of Stem Cells. 12: 251-264.
- Gasiūnienė M., A. Zentelytė, G. Treigytė, S. Baronaitė, J. Savickienė, A. Utkus, R. Navakauskienė. 2019. Epigenetic alterations in amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells derived from normal and fetus-affected gestations: a focus on myogenic and neural differentiations. Cell Biology International 43: 299-312.
- Gasiūnienė M., A. Zentelytė, B. Wojtas, S. Baronaitė, N. Krasovskaja, J. Savickienė, B. Gielniewski, B. Kaminska, A. Utkus, R. Navakauskienė. 2019. DNA methyltransferases inhibitors effectively induce gene expression changes suggestive of cardiomyogenic differentiation of human amniotic fluid-derived mesenchymal stem cells via chromatin remodeling. Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine 13: 469-481
- Gasiūnienė M., A. Zubova, A. Utkus, R. Navakauskienė. 2019. Epigenetic and metabolic alterations in human amniotic fluid stem cells induced to cardiomyogenic differentiation by DNA methyltransferases and p53 inhibitors. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 120: 8129-8143.
- Vitkevičienė A., V. Janulis, A. Žučenka, V. Borutinskaitė, A. Kaupinis, M. Valius, L. Griškevičius, R. Navakauskienė. 2019. Oxidative phosphorylation inhibition induces anticancerous changes in therapy-resistant-acute myeloid leukemia patient cells. Molecular Carcinogenesis 58: 2008-2016.
- Vitkevičienė A., G. Skiauterytė, A. Žučenka, M. Stoškus, E. Gineikienė, V. Borutinskaitė, L. Griškevičius, R. Navakauskienė. 2019. HDAC and HMT inhibitors in combination with conventional therapy: a novel treatment option for acute promyelocytic leukemia. Journal of Oncology. Article Number: 6179573.
2018
Borutinskaitė, V., Virkšaitė, A., Gudelytė, G. and Navakauskienė, R., 2018. Green tea polyphenol EGCG causes anti-cancerous epigenetic modulations in acute promyelocytic leukemia cells. Leukemia & lymphoma, 59(2), pp.469–478.
Vitkevičienė, A., Baksienė, S., Borutinskaitė, V. and Navakauskienė, R., 2018. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and BIX-01294 have different impact on epigenetics and senescence modulation in acute and chronic myeloid leukemia cells. European journal of pharmacology, 838, pp.32-40.
Borutinskaite, V., TREIGYTE, G., ČEKSTERYTE, V., Kurtinaitiene, B. and Navakauskiene, R., 2018. Proteomic identification and enzymatic activity of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) honey based on different assays. Journal of Food & Nutrition Research, 57(1).
2017
Navakauskienė R. Combination Epigenetic Therapy. Handbook of Epigenetics. The new molecular and medical genetics. 2nd Edition, Edited by T.O.Tollefsbol, 2017, Chapter 41, p. 623-632, Elsevier ISBN: 978-0-12-805388-1.
Audrone V. Kalvelyte, Aušra Imbrasaite, Natalija Krestnikova, Aurimas Stulpinas. Adult Stem Cells and Anticancer Therapy. Advances in Molecular Toxicology, 1st Edition, Volume 11, Chapter Four. Pages 124 – 202. Published date: 2nd October 2017. Edited by J.C. Fishbein and J.M. Heilman, Elsevier ISBN: 9780128125229
Abdelwahid, E., Stulpinas, A. and Kalvelyte, A., 2017. Effective agents targeting the mitochondria and apoptosis to protect the heart. Current pharmaceutical design, 23(8), pp.1153-1166.
Valiulienė, G., Stirblytė, I., Jasnauskaitė, M., Borutinskaitė, V. and Navakauskienė, R., 2017. Anti-leukemic effects of HDACi Belinostat and HMTi 3-Deazaneplanocin A on human acute promyelocytic leukemia cells. European journal of pharmacology, 799, pp.143-153.
2016
Savickienė, J., Baronaitė, S., Zentelytė, A., Treigytė, G. and Navakauskienė, R., 2016. Senescence-associated molecular and epigenetic alterations in mesenchymal stem cell cultures from amniotic fluid of normal and fetus-affected pregnancy. Stem cells international, 2016.
Glemžaitė, M. and Navakauskienė, R., 2016. Osteogenic differentiation of human amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells is determined by epigenetic changes. Stem cells international, 2016.
Stulpinas, A., Imbrasaitė, A., Krestnikova, N., Šarlauskas, J., Čėnas, N. and Kalvelytė, A.V., 2015. Study of bioreductive anticancer agent RH-1-induced signals leading the wild-type p53-bearing lung cancer A549 cells to apoptosis. Chemical research in toxicology, 29(1), pp.26-39.
Abdelwahid, E., Kalvelyte, A., Stulpinas, A., de Carvalho, K.A.T., Guarita-Souza, L.C. and Foldes, G., 2016. Stem cell death and survival in heart regeneration and repair. Apoptosis, 21(3), pp.252-268.
Navakauskienė, R., Mori, M., Christodoulou, M.S., Zentelytė, A., Botta, B., Dalla Via, L., Ricci, F., Damia, G., Passarella, D., Zilio, C. and Martinet, N., 2016. Histone demethylating agents as potential S-adenosyl-L-methionine-competitors. MedChemComm, 7(6), pp.1245-1255.
Navakauskiene, R., Baronaite, S., Matuzevicius, D., Zaikova, I., Arlauskiene, A., Navakauskas, D. and Treigyte, G., 2016. Identification and Characterization of Amniotic Fluid Proteins Incident to Normal, Preeclampsia and Polyhydramnios Pregnancies. Current Proteomics, 13(3), pp.206-217.
2015
Borutinskaitė, V. and Navakauskienė, R., 2015. The Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor BML-210 Influences Gene and Protein Expression in Human Promyelocytic Leukemia NB4 Cells via Epigenetic Reprogramming. International journal of molecular sciences, 16(8), pp.18252-18269.
Krestnikova, N., Stulpinas, A., Imbrasaite, A., Sinkeviciute, G. and Kalvelyte, A.V., 2015. JNK implication in adipocyte-like cell death induced by chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin. The Journal of toxicological sciences, 40(1), pp.21-32.
Personnel
Head of department
Prof. Rūta Navakauskienė
Chief researcer
85 223 4409
Research staff
| Dr. Veronika V. Borutinskaitė senior researcher 852234406 |
Dr. Giedrė Valiulienė researcher |
Dr. Aistė Zentelytė researcher |
| Dr. Aurimas Stulpinas researcher |
Elvina Valatkaitė junior researcher |
Deimantė Žukauskaitė junior researcher |
PhD students
| Raminta Baušytė |
Giedrė Skliutė |
Technical staff
| Daiva Andriūnienė technician 852234414 |
Vilija Novikienė technician |
Monika Tenkutytė technician |