Help immune cells in glioblastoma better clear tumor cells by targeting the QKI/PPARβ/RXRα pathway
Project 2: Restore Myeloid Phagocytosis in Glioblastoma by Targeting the QKI/PPARb/RXRa Complex
This project aims to use drugs that activate the QKI/PPARβ/RXRα pathway to make immune cells in people with glioblastoma better at eating tumor cells and boosting anti-tumor immunity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193448 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers found that tumor-associated microglia and macrophages in glioblastoma often have low QKI and poor ability to engulf tumor cells. They will analyze human and mouse tumor samples with single-cell RNA sequencing, use genetic mouse models to test QKI/PPARβ function, and treat models with small-molecule agonists such as a PPARβ activator (KD3010) or the RXRα drug bexarotene. The team will measure whether restoring this QKI/PPARβ/RXRα complex improves membrane fluidity, increases phagocytosis, enhances antigen presentation, and brings more adaptive immune cells into tumors. Findings will guide whether these drugs could be moved toward patient-facing trials or sample-collection efforts.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with glioblastoma who can provide tumor tissue or who may enroll in trials of immune-modulating drugs at a major cancer center would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients whose tumors lack macrophage/microglial involvement or who cannot tolerate the proposed drugs may not receive benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make immune therapies work better and slow glioblastoma growth by reactivating tumor-cleaning immune cells.
How similar studies have performed: Restoring phagocytosis in tumor-associated myeloid cells is a relatively new translational strategy with encouraging preclinical results but limited clinical proof so far.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hu, Jian — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Hu, Jian
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.