ABC transporters in neuroblastoma and the creation of a tumour-conducive

Neuroblastoma is the most prevalent form of cancer in early childhood. The outcome of neuroblastoma treatment is highly variable, with approximately 50% of cases classified as high risk with a survival rate of less than 40%.

Neuroblastoma cells can become resistant to drug therapy by increasing the number of drug efflux transporters present in their cell membranes. These specialised proteins work by pumping anticancer drugs out of the tumour cells, preventing the drug from killing the cell. They are known as ATP-binding cassette (or ‘ABC’ for short) transporters. I

n neuroblastoma, patients with higher levels of ABC transporters have poorer treatment outcomes, though this may not be as a result of their drug efflux activity. Indeed, it may be linked to the role of these transporters in normal cell function, as ABC transporters can also pump out lipid molecules that help cells to grow and migrate, two key properties of cancers.

This project therefore aims to identify specific ABC transporters enriched in neuroblastoma cells and their contribution to cell growth and survival via pumping lipid molecules out of the cell. Ultimately, a greater understanding of how these pumps cause resistance in neuroblastoma could lead to the development of new treatments.