Blocking EZH2 to help platinum chemotherapy keep working for ovarian cancer
Project 1: EZH2 Inhibition to Prevent/Overcome Chemoresistance
This project tests whether drugs that block a protein called EZH2 can stop supportive stromal cells from causing platinum chemotherapy to stop working in people with ovarian cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173691 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are focusing on stromal support cells (called CA-MSCs) that help ovarian tumors become resistant to platinum chemotherapy. They plan to use laboratory models, human tumor and stromal samples, and drugs that inhibit EZH2 to see if blocking EZH2 prevents or reverses the reprogramming of normal support cells into cancer-supportive CA-MSCs. The team will track signals like BMP2/BMP4 and changes in the tumor extracellular matrix to understand how the tumor microenvironment shifts. If CA-MSCs can be normalized, tumors may become more sensitive to platinum chemotherapy again.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with ovarian cancer who are receiving or have received platinum-based chemotherapy and who can provide tumor or stromal tissue for analysis or participate in early-phase combination treatments are the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People with non-ovarian cancers or whose tumors resist platinum through unrelated mechanisms may not receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help keep platinum chemotherapy effective longer and potentially improve outcomes for people with ovarian cancer.
How similar studies have performed: EZH2 inhibitors have shown promise in laboratory studies and are approved for some other cancers, but using them to reverse stromal-driven platinum resistance in ovarian cancer is a relatively new strategy.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Edwards, Robert Page — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Edwards, Robert Page
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 below.