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In Vivo Metabolic Profiling of CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia)

Metabolic Profiling of Leukemic Cells Through Isotope Tracing in Patients With CLL

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04785989
Enrollment
16
Registered
2021-03-08
Start date
2022-06-13
Completion date
2026-10-31
Last updated
2025-11-26

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Keywords

Cell metabolic tracing, Leukemic lymphocytes, Fuel preference

Brief summary

Metabolic reprogramming has been identified as a hallmark of cancer. Almost a century after Otto Warburg initially discovered increased glycolytic activity in tumor tissue (Warburg effect), therapeutic targeting of cancer metabolism has become a field of intense research effort in cancer biology. A growing appreciation of metabolic heterogeneity and complexity is currently reshaping investigators simplistic understanding of metabolic reprogramming in cancer. Discovering metabolic vulnerabilities as new treatment targets for cancer requires systematic dissection of metabolic dependencies, fuel preferences, and underlying mechanisms in the specific physiological context. However, today's data on cancer cell metabolic signatures and heterogeneity in their physiological habitat of the human organism is sparse to non-existent representing a critical knowledge gap in designing effective metabolic therapies. Here, the investigators propose a top-down approach studying cancer cell metabolism in patients followed by mechanistic in-depth studies in cell culture and animal models to define metabolic vulnerabilities. Investigators will develop a metabolic tracing method to quantitatively characterize metabolic signatures and fuel preferences of leukemic lymphocytes in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Isotopic metabolic tracers are nutrients that are chemically identical to the native nutrient. Incorporated stable, non-radioactive isotopes allow investigators to follow their metabolic fate by monitoring conversion of tracer nutrients into downstream metabolites using cutting-edge metabolomics analysis. Using this method, investigators propose to test the hypothesis that leukemic lymphocytes show tissue-specific metabolic preferences that differ from non-leukemic lymphocytes and that ex vivo in-plasma labeling represents a useful model for assaying metabolic activity in leukemic cells in a patient-specific manner.

Interventions

\[U-13C\]glucose will be administered as a bolus of 8 g (grams) over 10 minutes followed by 8 g/hour continuous infusion over 2 hours . This infusion rate will allow glucose tracer to reach sufficient enrichment without causing significant metabolic perturbation such as hyperglycemia.

OTHER[13C5]glutamine

6mg/kg of body weight of \[13C5\]glutamine will be administered as a bolus over 10 minutes (± 1 minute) followed by 6mg/kg/hr body weight continuous infusion for 2 hours through a peripheral IV catheter/line. This infusion rate will allow glutamine tracer to reach sufficient enrichment without causing significant metabolic perturbation such as hyperglycemia.

Sponsors

University of Wisconsin, Madison
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

Group A * Adult (18 years of age or older) * No previous history of cancer * Routine history of normal blood counts and vital signs * Documented Informed Consent Group B * Adult (18 years of age or older) * Diagnosis of CLL with low disease burden defined as Rai stage 0 ((Lymphocytosis; no enlargement of the lymph nodes, spleen, or liver; red blood cell and platelet counts are near normal.) * Treatment naïve * Documented Informed Consent Group C * Adult (18 years of age or older) * Diagnosis of CLL with high systemic disease burden defined as infiltration of bone marrow causing cytopenia * Treatment naïve * Able/willing to have bone marrow aspiration * Documented Informed Consent

Exclusion criteria

For all participants * Prisoners * Psychiatric inpatients or people who are institutionalized * Minor (Less than 18 years of age) * History of diabetes * Cannot be on antihyperglycemic therapy * Carbohydrate restricting diets: Atkins, Vegan, Ketogenic, etc. * Females of child bearing potential * Persons without decision-making capacity * Person who cannot read/write English * Not meeting inclusion criteria defined above

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Amount of [U-13C]glucose incorporation into metabolites in normal and leukemic lymphocytes: Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) pharmacokinetic analysisup to 2 hours (± 5 minutes)It will reveal how CLL cells utilize glucose compared to non-leukemic lymphocytes and how this changes with different disease burden and site of disease. Participants will be on overnight fasting.
Amount of [U-13C15N]L-glutamine incorporation into metabolites in normal and leukemic lymphocytes: LCMS pharmacokinetic analysisup to 2 hours (± 5 minutes)It will reveal how CLL cells utilize glutamine compared to non-leukemic lymphocytes and how this changes with different disease burden and site of disease. Participants will be on overnight fasting.

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Validate ex vivo labeling model to assay metabolism10 minutesStudy team seek to develop a more cost-effective ex vivo model to assay metabolism under conditions closest to the physiological setting in a small amount of blood. In addition, this model will allow numerous pharmacologic interventions and may serve as a personalized ex vivo drug screening assay. Participants will be on overnight fasting. Cells and plasma will be separated from 5 ml of pre infused blood. Cell suspensions will be incubated at 37°C for 2hrs and intracellular and extracellular metabolites will be extracted separately for LCMS analysis.

Countries

United States

Contacts

Primary ContactCancer Connect
clinicaltrials@cancer.wisc.edu800-622-8922

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026