Metabolic abnormalities of human haematological cancers. Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the metabolic abnormalities of human haematological cancers
IRAS ID
263238
Contact name
Nick Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Swansea University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Leukaemias, lymphomas and myelomas are haematological cancers that arise from the formation of dysfunctional leukocytes. Malignant cell survival and function is reliant on underlying metabolic pathways that govern cellular metabolism, i.e. how the cell uses sugars, fats and amino acids to make energy and molecules/cell building blocks. This project will investigate the differential utilisation of metabolic pathways by various immune cell subsets from malignant and non-malignant samples - both blood and bone marrow. The impact of different fuels (sugars, fats and amino acids) and their respective roles in cell function will be investigated. The effects of different drugs used to treat haematological cancers on cellular metabolism will be explored. Specific differences in sugar - especially glucose - metabolism between malignant and non-malignant leukocytes has been shown in other cancers but has not been investigated for haematological cancers. The intention is to identify key differential metabolic pathways and signalling pathways involved in malignant cell survival and identify novel therapeutic targets. Haematological cancer samples are likely to include chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), multiple myeloma (MM) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). There are four main aims:
1. To study the underlying metabolic enzymes, pathways and supporting signalling molecules that govern activity of multiple human haematological cancers. The main focus of this project is identifying any metabolic changes in multiple myeloma, but it will be essential to compare findings to other haematological malignancies.
2. To identify metabolic and signalling targets for future therapeutic approaches.
3. To translate preliminary laboratory data into the clinical setting of human haematological cancers.
4. To provide data of clinical relevance of laboratory findings to support follow on studies related to diagnosis and treatment of multiple human haematological cancers.REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/WM/0037
Date of REC Opinion
9 Mar 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion