ATF6-driven liver cancer: how a stress signal may fuel hepatocellular carcinoma
Official title: Project 2: The UPR transducer ATF6 drives HCC in response to metabolic stress
Funded at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute · NIH-11418963 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist team is studying how a stress signal in liver cells (ATF6) might drive liver cancer (HCC) and whether blocking it could help people with this disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $681,823 |
| NIH project number | 5P01CA281819-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11418963 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or those at risk due to metabolic liver disease may benefit from future translational insights and therapies arising from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Early-stage basic mechanisms in non-human models may not yet translate to immediate patient benefits.
What this research studies
This project focuses on ATF6, a key protein in the unfolded protein response, and its role in prompting liver cancer under metabolic stress. The research will compare human liver cancer tissues with non-cancerous tissues and use advanced techniques to map where ATF6 is active and how it affects gene networks. In mouse models, turning ATF6 on or off changes tumor development, guiding ideas for potential human interventions. The team plans to translate these findings to human tissues and preclinical models to explore mechanisms and possible therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify new targets to prevent or treat HCC by interrupting ATF6-driven pathways.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work links ATF6 activity to liver cancer in animals and human tissues, suggesting this approach has promise but requires translation to therapies.
Where this research is happening
-
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaufman, Randal J. — Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
- Study coordinator: Kaufman, Randal J.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.