Tuesday, November 4, 2025 11/4/2025

Membrane protein target for leukemia therapy

Award Number: R37CA241603
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2027

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Membrane protein target for leukemia therapy - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) accounts for more than 40% of leukemia mortality in the United States. Each year around ten thousand people die from the disease, most within a few years of diagnosis. Despite advances in our understanding of the disease, few improvements in the therapy of AML have been made. Specific targets and novel strategies to eliminate AML stem cells are required for AML treatment. In preliminary studies, the PI’s lab has observed the following: 1) The expression of DPP4 negatively correlates with AML patient overall survival in 3 different databases. 2) DPP4 inhibitors can prevent AML development in vivo. 3) DPP4 inhibitors can prevent both human and mouse AML cells growth in vitro. 4) DPP4 knock out (KO) AML cells transplanted mice exhibit delay and reversal of AML development in two retroviral-induced AML mouse models. 5) DPP4 KO AML stem cells and progenitors (AML-SCP) are restrained in the bone marrow, with increased apoptosis, and reduced self-renewal ability. 6) DPP4 knockdown prevents the growth of human AML cells. 7) The activation of Src, IkB, and p65 is reduced in DPP4 KO AML cells. Based on these preliminary data, the central hypothesis is: DPP4 regulated trafficking, activation and apoptosis of AML-SCPs are critical for human AML development, which will be addressed in three specific aims. Aim 1: Determine the role of DPP4 in human AML development. The localization, apoptosis, and self-renewal of DPP4 deficient human AML-SCP will be investigated by colony forming unit assay and human AML cells xenografted mouse model. Using the xenograft model, the effect of DPP4 inhibitors treatment alone or in combination with standard chemotherapy to prevent AML development will be evaluated. Aim 2: Examine regulation of AML- SCP engraftment to the BM by DPP4. This will include identification of the critical cytokines regulated by DPP4 for AML-SCP trafficking. To test this, the PI will use migration and engraftment assays. In addition, the PI will investigate localization and niche cells interaction of DPP4 KO AML-SCPs in the BM microenvironment by imaging studies. Aim3: Investigate the role of DPP4 in AML-SCP survival. We will explore the critical domain of DPP4, if DPP4-Src interaction is essential for AML-SCP survival, how DPP4 regulates the activity and protein level of Src in AML-SCP and determine if dual therapy with DPP4 and Src inhibitors has greater benefits against human AML-SCP survival. Collectively, the proposed research will broadly impact the field by identification of a novel treatment for AML, via the strategy of confinement of AML-SCP to bone marrow, and improving the understanding of the role of microenvironment in the development of AML-SCPs.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $855,881 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM	121 UNIVERSITY HALL	COLUMBIA	MO	65211	BOONE	USA	Cancer Biology Research	001	6	9/19/2025	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$855,881
2025	2024	UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM	121 UNIVERSITY HALL	COLUMBIA	MO	65211	BOONE	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	5	9/8/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $855,881

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $424,411 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM	121 UNIVERSITY HALL	COLUMBIA	MO	65211	BOONE	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	5	7/12/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$424,411
														Subtotal = $424,411

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $454,038 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM	121 UNIVERSITY HALL	COLUMBIA	MO	65211	BOONE	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	4	7/7/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$454,038
														Subtotal = $454,038

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $479,360 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM	316 UNIVERSITY HALL	COLUMBIA	MO	65211	BOONE	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	3	7/29/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$479,360
														Subtotal = $479,360

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $340,224 )
2021	2021	UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM	316 UNIVERSITY HALL	COLUMBIA	MO	65211	BOONE	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	2	7/1/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$340,224
														Subtotal = $340,224

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $340,224 )
2020	2020	UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM	316 UNIVERSITY HALL	COLUMBIA	MO	65211	BOONE	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	1	6/2/2020	NEW	$340,224
														Subtotal = $340,224

Grand Total All Awards = $2,894,138

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Membrane protein target for leukemia therapy

Award Number: R37CA241603

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2027

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