Blocking fatty acid uptake to help CAR-T work better for relapsed B‑cell ALL
Inhibiting Free Fatty Acid Transport to Improve CAR-T Cell Therapy of Relapsed B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
This research looks at whether stopping leukemia cells from taking up fatty acids can help CD19 CAR‑T therapy work better for children and young adults with relapsed B‑cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261188 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are focusing on a protein called FATP2 that helps B‑ALL cells absorb long‑chain fatty acids and may make them resistant to CAR‑T treatment. They will use lab experiments including genome‑wide CRISPR screens in leukemia cell lines and metabolic tracing to see how blocking FATP2 changes leukemia cell behavior. The team will also analyze pediatric patient tumor data to link FATP2 levels and TP53 mutations with outcomes. If the lab signals are strong, the findings could point toward combining FATP2 inhibition with CD19 CAR‑T in future clinical testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children and young adults with relapsed or refractory CD19+ B‑cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, particularly those whose leukemia carries TP53 mutations.
Not a fit: Patients without CD19+ B‑cell leukemia, those in long‑term remission, or those with unrelated cancers are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make CAR‑T therapy more effective and reduce relapses for children and young adults with relapsed CD19+ B‑cell ALL.
How similar studies have performed: Some preclinical studies show fatty acid uptake can affect immune responses to tumors, but using FATP2 inhibition to boost CAR‑T for pediatric B‑ALL is largely novel and not yet proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Witkowski, Matthew — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Witkowski, Matthew
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.