Fanconi anemia increases the risk of cancer as individuals' age. This is likely due to defects in the Fanconi DNA repair pathway that lead to the formation of rare cancer-causing mutations. Fanconi anemia individuals are defective in both copies of a Fanconi gene (one from mom and one from dad) and …
Fanconi anemia is caused by mutations in number of genes involved in DNA repair. Two key players are genes called FANCD2 and FANCI. These genes serve as central regulators of the Fanconi DNA repair pathway. Dr. Deans and others have shown that regulation occurs through the addition or removal of a m…
In the field of rare diseases it is extremely difficult to perform clinical trials with new chemical entities without prior information on bioavailability, dose and safety in humans. Drug repurposing is the application of known drugs and compounds to new indications. Thus, the aim of this project is…
It has long been recognized that gene-environment interactions influence the clinical course of individuals with FA, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Drawing on this labs deep expertise in protein folding diseases this project proposes a pragmatic approach to address this issue which ca…
Many have proposed that lentiviral vector (LV)-mediated hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy may constitute a new safe and efficient approach for the treatment/prevention of the bone marrow failure (BMF) characteristic of FA patients. To further improve the possibilities of developing a safe a…
Eighty percent of FA patients survive beyond age 20, carry a high risk for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oropharyngeal and anogenital regions connected with high morbidity and mortality. In addition to intrinsic genetic instability, HSCT and a number of other factors contribute to the pathoge…
Dry and moist skin (e.g., in the mouth) plays a critical role in maintaining a barrier against environmental insults and cancer. Based on new data, this team believes that individuals with FA may have an impaired barrier and this may be why they are at risk for SCC. Specifically, data shows that FA …
Dr. Tong recently discovered a novel gene called “LNK” that regulates bone marrow cell survival and growth. She found that loss of LNK in a mouse model of FA restores normal bone marrow functions and increases stem cell longevity. This new grant will allow Dr. Tong to explore the mechanisms underlyi…
Fanconi anemia (FA) patients are at high risk of developing head and neck cancer and have limited options for treatment due to their sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation. We have recently found that FA model mice with mutations in certain aldehyde detoxifying enzymes (ALDH2, ADH5) develop oral …
This project seeks to identify cellular pathways that could be targeted to treat or prevent cancer in FA. The investigators take a novel approach using a high-resolution CRISPR knockout library to screen for fitness genes and FANCA-specific cancer vulnerabilities. They will take advantage of their o…
A major limitation in FA research is the absence of an animal model that faithfully recapitulates the clinical features of this disease in humans. While mice have the characteristic DNA repair defects, they do not spontaneously develop the progressive anemia or acute leukemia seen in many patients. …
In the past funding period of the OHSU Fanconi Anemia Program Project we succeeded in discovering new drug targets and small molecules for FA therapy. All of these candidates have clinical potential and we are on the threshold of new interventions for this severe disease. The key goal of the project…