# Cellular Metabolites regulating cancer cell adaptation

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2022 · $268,647

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Cellular metabolites regulating cancer cell adaptation
 SAICAR is a metabolite accumulates in cancer cells upon glucose starvation or EGF stimulation. Upon
accumulation, SAICAR promotes cancer cell survival and proliferation by inducing tumor PKM2. However, it is
not yet clear how cancer cells, but not normal proliferating cells, accumulate SAICAR.
 We hypothesize that transformation-induced alteration of pentose phosphate pathway is responsible for
the accumulation of SAICAR. In this project, we will test this hypothesis while evaluating the importance of
SAICAR accumulation for the growth of tumor in vivo.
 The outcome of this project include a better understanding on metabolic reprogramming contributes to
cancer. In addition, the outcome of this project will determine whether SAICAR accumulation can be a potential
therapeutic target.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10448281
- **Project number:** 5R01CA168658-09
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** Young-Sam Lee
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $268,647
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-05-02 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10448281

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10448281, Cellular Metabolites regulating cancer cell adaptation (5R01CA168658-09). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10448281. Licensed CC0.

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