Analysis of glutamate / glutamine in breast cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Analysis of plasma glutamate / glutamine in patients with breast cancer and healthy volunteers.
IRAS ID
237162
Contact name
Iain Macpherson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Glasgow
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 5 days
Research summary
Amino acids like glutamate are present in our bodies and can be measured in plasma (part of the blood). We have recently discovered that glutamate can make breast cancer cells behave more aggressively in the laboratory. We have also found that the amount of glutamate, and some other amino acids, is increased in mouse models of breast cancer. We now wish to study whether similar events occur in patients with breast cancer. To do this we will measure the level of glutamate (and related substances) in the plasma of patients with breast cancer and compare the levels to plasma taken from patients without breast cancer. We will also compare glutamate levels in patients with different types of breast cancer. To do this we will use plasma samples that were collected in a previous study that recruited patients with metastatic breast cancer as well as volunteers without breast cancer. Participants in this previous study agreed that their samples could be stored and used for future research approved by an ethics committee. This study does not involve collecting any new blood samples and there will be no contact with the patients / volunteers who took part in the previous study. The overall aim of our research is to learn more about how amino acids like glutamate might influence the behaviour of breast cancer.
REC name
HSC REC B
REC reference
17/NI/0228
Date of REC Opinion
7 Nov 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion