Professor Jeff Holst

The Translational Cancer Metabolism Laboratory is focussed on understanding the role of amino acid uptake and metabolism in melanoma, breast and prostate cancer. The lab examines the basic biology regulating amino acid transporter expression and function, the downstream metabolic pathways, as well as developing new therapeutics to target the transporters and metabolic processes.

Key Publications:

Wahi K, Freidman N, Wang Q, Devadason M, Quek LE, Pang A, Lloyd L, Larance M, Zanini F, Harvey K, O'Toole S, Guan YF, Holst J. Macropinocytosis mediates resistance to loss of glutamine transport in triple-negative breast cancer. EMBO Journal. Oct 17. Online ahead of print. 2024

Quek LE, van Geldermalsen M, Guan YF, Wahi K, Mayoh C, Balaban S, Pang A, Wang Q, Cowley MJ, Brown KK, Turner N, Hoy AJ, Holst J. Glutamine addiction promotes glucose oxidation in triple-negative breast cancer. Oncogene, 41(34):4066-78, 2022.

Wang Q, Guan YF, Hancock SE, Wahi K, van Geldermalsen M, Zhang BK, Pang A, Nagarajah R, Mak B, Freidman N, Horvath LG, Turner N, Holst J. Inhibition of guanosine monophosphate synthetase (GMPS) blocks glutamine metabolism and prostate cancer growth. The Journal of Pathology, 254(2):135-146, 2021.

Zhang BK, Moran AM, Bailey CG, Rasko JEJ, Holst J*, Wang Q*. EGF-activated PI3K/Akt signaling coordinates leucine uptake by regulating LAT3 expression in prostate cancer. Cell Communication and Signaling, 17(1):83, 2019. *=Co-Senior Author

van Geldermalsen M, Quek LE, Turner N, Freidman N, Pang A, Guan YF, Krycer JR, Ryan R, Wang Q, Holst J. Benzylserine inhibits breast cancer cell growth by disrupting intracellular amino acid homeostasis and triggering amino acid response pathways. BMC Cancer, 18(1):689, 2018.

Marshall AD, van Geldermalsen M, Otte NJ, Lum T, Vellozzi M, Thoeng A, Pang A, Nagarajah R, Zhang B, Wang Q, Anderson L, Rasko JEJ, Holst J. ASCT2 Regulates Glutamine Uptake and Cell Growth in Endometrial Carcinoma. Oncogenesis, 6(7):e367, 2017.

van Geldermalsen M, Wang Q, Nagarajah R, Marshall A, Thoeng A, Gao D, Ritchie W, Feng Y, Bailey CG, Deng N, Harvey K, Beith JM, Selinger C, O’Toole S, Rasko JEJ, Holst J. ASCT2/SLC1A5 controls glutamine uptake and tumour growth in triple-negative basal-like breast cancer. Oncogene, 35(24):3201-8, 2016.

Wang Q, Hardie R-A, Hoy AJ, van Geldermalsen M, Gao D, Fazli L, Sadowski MC, Balaban S, Schreuder M, Nagarajah R, Wong JJ-L, Metierre C, Pinello N, Otte, NJ, Lehman ML, Gleave M, Nelson CC, Bailey CG, Ritchie W, Rasko JEJ, Holst J. Targeting ASCT2-Mediated Glutamine Uptake Blocks Prostate Cancer Growth and Tumour Development. The Journal of Pathology 236(3):278-89, 2015. 

Wang Q, Beaumont KA, Otte NJ, Font J, Bailey CG, van Geldermalsen M, Sharp DM, Tiffen JC, Ryan RM, Jormakka M, Haass NK, Rasko JEJ, Holst J. Targeting glutamine transport to suppress melanoma cell growth. International Journal of Cancer 135(5):1060-71, 2014.

Wang Q, Tiffen J, Bailey CG, Lehman ML, Ritchie W, Fazli L, Metierre C, Feng Y, Li E, Gleave M, Buchanan G, Nelson CC, Rasko JEJ and Holst J. Targeting amino acid transport in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: Effects on cell cycle, cell growth and tumor development. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 105(19):1463-73, 2013.

Wong JJ-L, Ritchie W, Ebner OA, Selbach M, Wong JWH, Huang Y, Gao D, Pinello N, Gonzalez M, Baidya K, Thoeng A, Khoo T-L, Bailey CG, Holst J* and Rasko JEJ*. Orchestrated intron retention regulates normal granulocyte differentiation. Cell. 154(3) 583-595, 2013.

Wang Q, Bailey CG, Ng C, Tiffen J, Thoeng A, Minhas V, Lehman ML, Hendy SC, Buchanan G, Nelson CC, Rasko JEJ and Holst J. Androgen receptor and nutrient signaling pathways coordinate the demand for increased amino acid transport in prostate cancer progression. Cancer Research 71(24):7525-36, 2011