2009 UALC
Johann Brandes, MD, PhD
Emory University
Research Project:
Targeting CHFR through PARP inhibition: A novel strategy to overcome taxane resistance in adenocarcinoma of the lung
Summary:
Dr. Brandes is investigating ways to improve responses to chemotherapy. He identified CHFR, a protein involved in cell cycle regulation, as a player in conferring resistance to taxanes. To address whether CHFR is a good therapeutic target for lung cancer, Dr. Brandes is using a PARP inhibitor to block CHFR function in lung cancer cell lines. If successful, PARP inhibitors (currently in clinical use for other indications) could be used in combination with chemotherapy to improve response rates and clinical outcomes.
More Content:
Final Report
Dr. Brandes confirmed that CHFR is a mediator of resistance to taxanes (chemotherapy) in lung cancer. Dr. Brandes was able to show that resistance to docetaxel could be overcome using the PARP inhibitor to block CHFR. His next steps are to further investigate this effect in additional non-small cell lung cancer cell lines, and to validate the synergistic effects of docetaxel and PARP inhibition in preclinical models.