Identification of GLUT1 Activating Compounds in a Mouse Model
Awardee: Jason Park
Institution: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Award Amount: $64,200
Funding Period: February 1, 2021 - January 31, 2022
Summary:
Glucose transporter type I deficiency (G1D) is an epilepsy syndrome that results from a mutation in the SLC2A1 gene. In normal brain function, the SLC2A1 gene makes a protein (glucose transporter type I, GLUT1) that moves glucose across the blood-brain barrier. In G1D, there is a defect in the SLC2A1 gene that results in a protein that cannot move enough glucose across the blood-brain barrier; this results in carbon deprivation of the brain and, often, seizures and other disabilities. The Million Dollar Bike Ride has funded a pilot grant to Dr. Jason Park in the Department of Pathology and the Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth at UT Southwestern Medical Center in a study for the “Identification of GLUT1 Activating Compounds in a Mouse Model”.
Beginning in 2021, this one-year grant will fund the identification of drugs which increase the availability and/or functional activity of GLUT1. This project is in collaboration with UT Southwestern faculty member, Dr. Juan Pascual. Previously, we performed high-throughput screening of 10,000 compounds to identify GLUT1 activators in a cancer cell line model. In this project we will identify the subset of activating compounds which improve the phenotype (behavior) in G1D mice. This animal study will identify GLUT1 activating drugs for future preclinical and clinical investigation. For many years, UT Southwestern Medical Center has been at the forefront of patient care, diagnostic testing, clinical trials, patient registry, laboratory research and medical and scientific training focused on G1D.