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Protein kinases in cancer research

Our group is interested in dissecting new cellular signaling pathways that control cancer cell proliferation and differentiation.  We collaborate with academics and Biopharma Companies to perform preclinical development of new anticancer drugs. Specifically, we are interested in deciphering the role of the new MAP kinase ERK5 in cancer proliferation and survival. We are also interested in the modulation of autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as new strategies to tackle cancer, to improve chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments.

We are involved in potentiating translational aspects of our resources. We actively collaborate with Ability Pharmaceuticals SL in the preclinical/clinical development of the new antitumor drug ABTL0812, which it is Clinical Trial Phase II to treat cancer patients with advanced endometrial and squamous NSCLC cancers (NCT02201823). We uncovered the mechanism involved in the antitumor action of ABTL0812: by modulating the Akt/mTORC1 axis and ER stress, this molecule induces cancer cell death by activating cytotoxic autophagy in cancer cells.

Team

María Viñas I Casas

María Viñas I Casas

Predoctoral researcher
Protein kinases in cancer research
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Sergio Espinosa Gil

Sergio Espinosa Gil

Postdoctoral researcher
Protein kinases in cancer research
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María Viñas I Casas

María Viñas I Casas

Predoctoral researcher
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Sergio Espinosa Gil

Sergio Espinosa Gil

Postdoctoral researcher
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more

Publications

The anti-cancer drug ABTL0812 induces ER stress-mediated cytotoxic autophagy by increasing dihydroceramide levels in cancer cells.

PMID: 32397857
Journal: Autophagy
Year: 2021
Reference: Autophagy. 2021 Jun;17(6):1349-1366. doi: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1761651. Epub 2020 May 25.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Abad, Jose L; Alfon, Jose; Bosch-Barrera, Joaquim; Casas, Josefina; Dieguez-Martinez, Nora; Domenech, Carles; Erazo, Tatiana; Espinosa-Gil, Sergio; Fabrias, Gemma; Lizcano, Jose M et al.
DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1761651

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition).

PMID: 33634751
Journal: Autophagy
Year: 2021
Reference: Autophagy. 2021 Jan;17(1):1-382. doi: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1797280. Epub 2021 Feb 8.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Review in international publication
Authors: Abdel-Aziz, Amal Kamal; Abdelfatah, Sara; Abdellatif, Mahmoud; Abdoli, Asghar; Abel, Steffen; Abeliovich, Hagai; Abildgaard, Marie H; Abudu, Yakubu Princely; Acevedo-Arozena, Abraham; Adamopoulos, Iannis E et al.
DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1797280

An ERK5-KLF2 signalling module regulates early embryonic gene expression and telomere rejuvenation in stem cells.

PMID: 34780645
Journal: BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL
Year: 2021
Reference: Biochem J. 2021 Dec 10;478(23):4119-4136. doi: 10.1042/BCJ20210646.
Impact factor: 3.857
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Gourlay, Robert, Brown, Helen A, Williams, Charles A C, Zhou, Houjiang, Rios-Szwed, Diana, Fernandez-Alonso, Rosalia, Mansoor, Saria, McMulkin, Liam, Toth, Rachel, Peltier, Julien et al.
DOI: 10.1042/BCJ20210646

A first-in-human phase I/Ib dose-escalation clinical trial of the autophagy inducer ABTL0812 in patients with advanced solid tumours.

PMID: 33588149
Journal: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER
Year: 2021
Reference: Eur J Cancer. 2021 Mar;146:87-94. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2020.12.019. Epub 2021 Feb 12.
Impact factor: 9.162
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Gascon, Pere, Domenech, Carles, Vidal, Laura, Victoria, Ivan, Gaba, Lydia, Brunet, Merce, Colom, Helena, Cortal, Marc, Gomez-Ferreria, Mariana, Yeste-Velasco, Marc et al.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2020.12.019

The peroxisomal fatty acid transporter ABCD1/PMP-4 is required in the C. elegans hypodermis for axonal maintenance: A worm model for adrenoleukodystrophy.

PMID: 32017990
Journal: FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
Year: 2020
Reference: Free Radic Biol Med. 2020 May 20;152:797-809. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.01.177. Epub 2020 Feb 1.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Coppa, Andrea; Dalfo, Esther; Fourcade, Stephane; Guha, Sanjib; Lizcano, Jose Miguel; Miranda-Vizuete, Antonio; Moser, Ann B; Murphy, Michael P; Parameswaran, Janani; Pujol, Aurora et al.
DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.01.177

The antitumour drug ABTL0812 impairs neuroblastoma growth through endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated autophagy and apoptosis.

PMID: 32943619
Journal: Cell Death & Disease
Year: 2020
Reference: Cell Death Dis. 2020 Sep 17;11(9):773. doi: 10.1038/s41419-020-02986-w.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Alfon, Jose; Antonelli, Roberta; Boloix, Ariadna; Domenech, Carles; Erazo, Tatiana; Gallego, Soledad; Jimenez, Carlos; Lizcano, Jose M; Masanas, Marc; Moreno, Lucas et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02986-w

STK11 (LKB1) missense somatic mutant isoforms promote tumor growth, motility and inflammation.

PMID: 32647375
Journal: Communications Biology
Year: 2020
Reference: Commun Biol. 2020 Jul 9;3(1):366. doi: 10.1038/s42003-020-1092-0.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Canals, Francesc; Espinosa-Gil, Sergio; Ferrer, Berta; Garcia-Ortega, Sara; Garcia-Patos, Vicenc; Gil, Rosa; Gonzalez-Sanchez, Elena; Granado-Martinez, Paula; Grueso, Judit; Hernandez-Losa, Javier et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-1092-0

The antitumour drug ABTL0812 impairs neuroblastoma growth through endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated autophagy and apoptosis.

PMID: 32943619
Journal: Cell Death & Disease
Year: 2020
Reference: Cell Death Dis. 2020 Sep 17;11(9):773. doi: 10.1038/s41419-020-02986-w.
Impact factor: 6.304
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Soriano, Aroa, Jimenez, Carlos, Erazo, Tatiana, Munoz-Guardiola, Pau, Masanas, Marc, Antonelli, Roberta, Boloix, Ariadna, Alfon, Jose, Perez-Montoyo, Hector, Yeste-Velasco, Marc et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02986-w

Blog

News

On World Cancer Research Day, we highlight research aimed at improving treatments for both pediatric and adult cancers through innovative techniques.

The research team has shown that inhibiting the TRIB3 protein slows the growth of rhabdomyosarcoma and improves survival in animal models.

A team from Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) highlights the ERK5 protein as a key factor in the resistance to cancer drugs.