Dr M Cantwell, Prof J O'Sullivan
No more applications being accepted
Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Obesity/adiposity is associated with a poor prognosis in prostate cancer patients. The underlying mechanisms are however inadequately known and as a consequence management options are limited. The molecular basis by which obesity influences cancer is also largely unknown. Adipokines, secreted by adipose tissue are biologically active factors whose production is directly influenced by obesity.
Circulating levels of the adipokine leptin are positively associated with obesity status, whereas lower adiponectin levels are associated with increasing obesity and central fat accumulation. Their biological actions are largely opposing, such that leptin is promitogenic and proangiogenic whereas adiponectin has proapoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties. The negative impact of obesity on prostate cancer progression is therefore likely related to levels of adiponectin and leptin.
This proposal provides novel opportunities to unravel the biological mechanisms driving the relationship between obesity, adiposity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and prostate cancer by exploiting existing tissue within the NI Biobank, to examine novel molecular markers related to obesity and adiposity and by utilizing blood samples and data (clinico-pathological data, dietary intake, physical activity, cancer treatments received) collected from prostate cancer patients who have participated in a 6 month RCT of diet and physical activity.
Research aims
To utilise prostate cancer tissue and blood samples collected before and after a 6 month diet and physical activity intervention in men using Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) to examine the relationship between expression of tumour leptin, adiponectin and circulating leptin and adiponectin by obesity status and presence of metabolic syndrome.
To conduct a systematic review of prostate cancer tumour expression of adiponectin and leptin and circulating adiponectin and leptin on prostate cancer progression
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