Complement proteins and cancer-related muscle loss
Official title: The Complement System and Cancer Cachexia
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11170490 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project checks whether blocking complement proteins can reduce muscle wasting in people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $439,073 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR081648-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11170490 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with pancreatic or other cancers who are experiencing weight loss or muscle wasting and who could donate muscle or blood samples or be eligible for future treatment trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without cancer or those whose muscle loss is caused by purely non-cachexia reasons (for example, immobilization without systemic cancer) may not receive direct benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Researchers found higher levels of complement proteins (including C3) and membrane attack complexes in muscle from people and mice with pancreatic cancer. They will use pancreatic cancer mouse models, including mice that lack C3 and mice given drugs to block complement activity, to see how complement causes muscle damage, inflammation, and poor regeneration. The team will measure muscle mass, strength, tissue inflammation, and molecular markers and compare those findings with data from patient muscle samples. The aim is to connect complement activity to the muscle loss patients experience and identify ways to protect muscle.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that slow or prevent cancer-related muscle wasting, improving strength, quality of life, and tolerance of cancer therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Complement-targeting therapies have helped in other inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases, but applying complement inhibition specifically to cancer cachexia is a relatively new and early-stage approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Judge, Andrew Robert — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Judge, Andrew Robert
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Mitochondrial pores and muscle loss in cancer cachexia
A small US-based study will explore how changes in mitochondria contribute to muscle wasting in people with cancer cachexia and how this may be slowed.
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CANCAN: A Virtual Institute to Cure Cancer Cachexia
A broad, collaborative NIH initiative aims to uncover why cancer patients lose weight and muscle and to develop new ways to treat this serious condition.
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Spatial metabolism mapping in cancer cachexia tissues
Aims to map where and how metabolism changes in tissues affected by cancer cachexia using advanced imaging technology.
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Nuclear receptors that may stop muscle wasting in cancer
This grant explores whether activating specific muscle-regulating receptors can prevent muscle loss in cancer patients.
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Stopping an enzyme called Transglutaminase 2 to prevent cancer-related muscle loss
This work explores whether blocking an enzyme called Transglutaminase 2 can stop or reverse the severe muscle wasting that often affects people with pancreatic cancer.
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How the liver's ketone production affects muscle loss and recovery in pancreatic cancer
This project looks at whether helping the liver make ketones can prevent muscle wasting and aid recovery for people with pancreatic cancer.
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.