Alejo Efeyan Group Leader
T +34 917328000 (Ext 3540)
aefeyan@cnio.es

In the Metabolism and Cell Signalling Lab we study the interplay of nutrients, metabolism and cancer. Every cell in the organism integrates signals emanating from the abundance of intracellular nutrients and from the nutritional state of the organism as a whole. Integration of cellular and systemic nutrient abundance cues is key for adequate cellular and organismal functions, and importantly, the components of these signalling cascades are generally corrupted in disease states, such as cancer. Together with genetic mutations, environmental perturbations (such as those occurring in obesity) corrupt the cellular signalling cascades that control the responses to nutrients and hormones. In the lab, we combine mouse genetics and cell biological tools to gain insight into the genetic and environmental corruptions of nutrient signalling cascades, aiming to conceive therapeutic interventions in the context of cancer, obesity and the process of ageing.

Publications

• Ortega-Molina A, Deleyto-Seldas N, Carreras J, Sanz A, Lebrero-Fernández C, Menéndez C, Vandenberg A, Fernández-Ruiz B, Marín-Arraiza L, de la Calle Arregui C, Plata-Gómez A, Caleiras E , de Martino A , Martínez-Martín N, Troulé K, Piñeiro-Yáñez E, Nakamura N, Araf S, Victora GD, Okosun J, Fitzgibbon J & Efeyan A (2019). Oncogenic Rag GTPase signaling enhances B cell activation and drives folicular lymphoma sensitive to pharmacological inhibition of mTOR.. Nat Metabolism (in press).
• Zabala-Letona A, Arruabarrena-Aristorena A, Martín-Martín N, Fernandez-Ruiz S, Sutherland JD, Clasquin M, Tomas-Cortazar J, Jimenez J, Torres I, Quang P, Ximenez-Embun P, Bago R, Ugalde-Olano A, Loizaga-Iriarte A, Lacasa-Viscasillas I, Unda M, Torrano V, Cabrera D, van Liempd SM, Cendon Y, Castro E, Murray S, Revandkar A, Alimonti A, Zhang Y, Barnett A, Lein G, Pirman D, Cortazar AR, Arreal L, Prudkin L, Astobiza I, Valcarcel-Jimenez L, Zuñiga-García P, Fernandez-Dominguez I, Piva M, Caro-Maldonado A, Sánchez-Mosquera P, Castillo-Martín M, Serra V, Beraza N, Gentilella A, Thomas G, Azkargorta M, Elortza F, Farràs R, Olmos D, Efeyan A, Anguita J, Muñoz J, Falcón-Pérez JM, Barrio R, Macarulla T, Mato JM, Martinez-Chantar ML, Cordon-Cardo C, Aransay AM, Marks K, Baselga J, Tabernero J, Nuciforo P, Manning BD, Marjon K, Carracedo A (2017). mTORC1-dependent AMD1 regulation sustains polyamine metabolism in prostate cancer.. Nature 547, 109-113.
• Okosun J, Wolfson RL, Wang J, Araf S, Wilkins L, Castellano BM, Escudero-Ibarz L, Al Seraihi AF, Richter J, Bernhart SH, Efeyan A, Iqbal S, Matthews J, Clear A, Guerra-Assunção JA, Bödör C, Quentmeier H, Mansbridge C, Johnson P, Davies A, Strefford JC, Packham G, Barrans S, Jack A, Du MQ, Calaminici M, Lister TA, Auer R, Montoto S, Gribben JG, Siebert R, Chelala C, Zoncu R, Sabatini DM, Fitzgibbon J (2016). Recurrent mTORC1-activating RRAGC mutations in follicular lymphoma.. Nat Genet 48, 183-188.
• Efeyan A, Comb WC, Sabatini DM. (2015). Nutrient-sensing mechanisms and pathways.. Nature 517, 302-310.
• Efeyan A, Schweitzer LD, Bilate AM, Chang S, Kirak O, Lamming DW, Sabatini DM (2014). RagA, but not RagB, is essential for embryonic development and adult life.. Dev Cell 29, 321-329.
• Efeyan A, Zoncu R, Chang S, Gumper I, Snitkin H, Wolfson RL, Kirak O, Sabatini DD, Sabatini DM. (2013). Regulation of mTORC1 by the Rag GTPases is necessary for neonatal autophagy and survival.. Nature 493, 679-683.
• Efeyan A, Sabatini DM. (2013). Nutrients and growth factors in mTORC1 activation.. Biochem Soc Trans 41, 902-905.