Biophysical and biochemical studies of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) co...
| Grant number: | 14/15968-3 |
| Support type: | Regular Research Grants |
| Duration: | November 01, 2014 - October 31, 2016 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Biochemistry |
| Principal Investigator: | Sandra Martha Gomes Dias |
| Grantee: | Sandra Martha Gomes Dias |
| Home Institution: | Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações e Comunicações (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil |
| Assoc. researchers: | Andre Luis Berteli Ambrosio |
Abstract
Cell proliferation is a crucial process for the embryogenesis and organism growth, being also essential for the proper function of several adult tissues. Although important for the homeostasis of the organism, its deregulation composes the driving force of tumor development. In the past twenty years the relationship between the processes of signal transduction stimulated by growth factors and the reorganization of metabolic activity has become more evident. Growing cells need to prioritize the biosynthesis and biomass increasing, processes essential for cell division. In tumor cells, the glutamine consumption is increased concurrently with the increasing in the glutaminase activity. The enhanced glucose intake and metabolism, associated to the lactate secretion, even when in presence of oxygen (called aerobic glycolysis or Warburg Effect) followed by the intensification of the glutaminolisis are already recognized hallmarks of cell transformaton. These processess are closelly related to the tumor cells bioenergetic and bissynthetics needs since they provide with the metabolites involved on protein, lipids and nucleic acid synthesis. Although MYC regulation of the glutaminase activity is already well documented, our lab results have been showing that the mTORC1 and NFkB signaling pathways also regulates glutaminase activity. The first goal of this project is to understand these exact regulation mechanisms. Several studies, including from our lab's, revealed that several tumor types are higly dependent on the glutamine consumption which puts this enzyme as an important target againts cancer. The second goal of this project is to deepen the knowledge on the molecular and cellular mode of action of new glutaminase inhibitory compounds found in our lab after a Hight Throughput Screening campaing, which can represent the development of new and promissing anti-tumor drugs. On the other hand, some tumors do not respond to the glutamine consumption blockage, and searching for new molecular targets that can affect the aberrant tumor metabolism opened new therapeutic perspectives and composes the third goal of this project. (AU)
| Articles published in Agência FAPESP Newsletter about the research grant |
| Study reveals how production of enzyme with key role in cancer is regulated |