Our Lab focuses on metabolic reprogramming in diseases and the regulation of metabolism leading to drug discovery and novel therapeutic approaches.

     Recently, we discovered the role of the important anaplerotic enzyme, pyruvate carboxylase (PC) in breast cancer. Suppression of PC inhibits cell growth and metastasis. Metabolomics studies indicate that the metabolic roles of PC in invasive breast cancer are primarily anaplerosis, pyruvate cycling, and mitochondrial biosynthesis of precursors of cellular components required for breast cancer cell growth and replication suggesting the potential therapeutic approach to breast cancer. However, the metabolic reprogramming in other diseases is needed to elucidate.

     Our current projects focus on metabolic reprogramming in thalassemia. Techniques and novel therapeutic strategies that we are currently investigating are:

• Metabolomics analysis: Now, we are developing the metabolomics analysis to discover the metabolic reprogramming in thalassemia.
• Single-cell RNA sequencing: We plan to use this technique to study metabolism during ineffective erythropoiesis.
• Regulation of ineffective erythropoiesis: We are studying the functions of metabolic genes and miRNAs on ineffective erythropoiesis which is the main cause of anemia and severity of patients.
• Drug discovery: We are exploring the small molecule inhibitors using machine learning to improve the ineffective erythropoiesis and anemia in patients.

For cancer research, we are focusing on:

• Metabolic reprogramming in cancer
• MicroRNAs regulating cancer metastasis and toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs
• Anti-cancer activity of herb extract/natural compounds
• Discovery of novel inhibitors for breast cancer treatments

1.Phannasil P, Thuwajit C, Warnnissorn M, Wallace JC, MacDonald MJ, Jitrapakdee S. Pyruvate Carboxylase Is Up-Regulated in Breast Cancer and Essential to Support Growth and Invasion of MDA-MB-231 Cells. PloS One. 2015;10(6):e0129848.

2.Phannasil P, Ansari I-UH, El Azzouny M, Longacre MJ, Rattanapornsompong K, Burant CF, et al. Mass spectrometry analysis shows the biosynthetic pathways supported by pyruvate carboxylase in highly invasive breast cancer cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2017;1863(2):537–51.

3.Phannasil P, Roytrakul S, Phaonakrop N, Kupradinun P, Budda S, Butryee C, Akekawatchai C, Tuntipopipat S. Protein expression profiles that underpin the preventive and therapeutic potential of Moringa oleifera Lam against azoxymethane and dextran sodium sulfate‑induced mouse colon carcinogenesis. Oncology Letters. 2020;20:1792-1802.

4.Phannasil P*, Akekawatchai C, Jitrapakdee S. MicroRNA expression profiles associated with the metastatic ability of MDA‑MB‑231 breast cancer cells. Oncol Lett. 2023;26(2):339.

5.Phannasil P, Sukhuma C, Nauphar D, Nuamsee K, Svasti S. Up-regulation of microRNA 101-3p during erythropoiesis in beta-thalassemia/HbE. Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2023;103:102781.