# Project 3: Role of Sphingosine Kinase in P53 Cancer Biology

> **NIH NIH P01** · STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK · 2021 · $198,271

## Abstract

Abstract
The long-term goals of this project are to advance sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1), an important
enzyme in bioactive sphingolipid metabolism and signaling, as a novel and critical therapeutic
target for p53 null and mutant cancers. SK1, one of two SK enzymes, is a highly regulated enzyme
that plays a critical role in the production of the bioactive sphingolipid sphingosine-1-phosphate
(S1P), and in the clearance of sphingosine and ceramide in the `exit pathway' of sphingolipid
breakdown. S1P has emerged as a tumor-promoting lipid with actions on cell growth,
angiogenesis and protection from apoptosis whereas ceramide has emerged as a growth
suppressor lipid. Thus, SK1, by regulating the interconversion of these critical bioactive lipids,
assumes a central role in tumor biology. Our work over the last 15 years has led to i) discovering
that SK1 is overexpressed in many cancers both at the message and protein level, ii) that SK1
gets degraded by DNA damaging agents in a caspase 2 and p53-dependent manner, iii) that null
p53 cells and animal tissues have increased expression of SK1, and that iv) SK1 KO mice are
significantly protected from p53 null thymic lymphoma as well as several other types of tumors in
p53 heterozygous mice. Moreover, our very recent unpublished data demonstrate that SK1 is
degraded upon serine/glycine (Ser/Gly) deprivation. We have exploited this to show that serine
deprivation results in death of p53 null and mutant cells in a mechanism involving loss of SK1.
These and related findings have led us to propose the hypothesis that SK1 is a therapeutic target
for p53 null and mutant cancers, and that Ser/Gly deprivation can be harnessed therapeutically
to degrade SK1 and lead to cancer cell death. This hypothesis will be investigated by pursuing
the following specific aims: Specific Aim 1. To establish that SK1 is a therapeutic target for
p53 null and mutant thymic lymphomas in vivo by: A. Establishing that SK1 KO protects from
tumor development in a humanized p53 mutant mouse model; and B. Determining if removal of
SK1 after established thymic lymphomas are formed in p53 null and mutant mice can lead to
tumor regression. Specific Aim 2. To advance SK1 as a novel therapeutic target for p53 null
and mutant tumors in mice by: A. Determine if Ser/Gly deprivation in vivo will lead to tumor
regression or inhibit tumor formation in the above models. B. Determining if inhibiting SK1 leads
to the tumor regression by utilizing pharmacologic inhibitors for SK1 (SKI, PF543). Together,
these studies will significantly advance our understanding of the roles of SK1 in cancers with
mutated p53. They will also define specific therapeutic contexts for targeting SK1 in human
cancer.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10247635
- **Project number:** 5P01CA097132-18
- **Recipient organization:** STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK
- **Principal Investigator:** Lina M OBEID
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $198,271
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2003-08-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10247635

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10247635, Project 3: Role of Sphingosine Kinase in P53 Cancer Biology (5P01CA097132-18). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10247635. Licensed CC0.

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