# Adipocytes are Important Players in the Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Microenvironment

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $365,749

## Abstract

Obesity increases both the incidence and mortality of numerous types of cancer. Children and adults who
are obese at the time of diagnosis of high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have a 50% increased risk
of relapse compared to their lean counterparts. Using mouse and tissue culture models, we showed that
obesity directly impacts the progression and treatment outcome of ALL. We discovered that adipocytes and
ALL cells participate in a two-way communication; ALL cells induce changes in adipocyte morphology and
function, and adipocytes in turn release FFA which are used as a fuel for ALL cells.
 In the present grant, we will further elucidate the mechanisms behind these effects. We will first investigate
how ALL cells, in the context of chemotherapy, affect adipocytes, both in culture and in mice and humans. We
will then focus on how adipocyte-derived FFA affect ALL cell growth and survival. We have developed novel
techniques to perform these studies, including intravital imaging techniques to visualize bone marrow
adipocyte and ALL interactions, and single cell lipidomics techniques to elucidate the effects of adipocytes on
ALL cell metabolism. These studies will increase our understanding of how leukemia interacts with its
microenvironment. They will also improve our understanding of the relationships between ALL and obesity, and
they have the potential to change the way we treat cancer in our increasingly overweight population.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9965785
- **Project number:** 5R01CA201444-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Steven David Mittelman
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $365,749
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-07-15 → 2021-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9965785

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9965785, Adipocytes are Important Players in the Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Microenvironment (5R01CA201444-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9965785. Licensed CC0.

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