Helping liver cancer treatments work better by targeting the LIFR–LCN2 pathway
Official title: Targeting the LIFR-LCN2 pathway to improve liver cancer therapy
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11250016 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is testing whether fixing the LIFR–LCN2 pathway can make treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) more effective.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $480,131 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA269140-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11250016 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly those whose tumors show low LIFR or related iron-regulation changes, would be the most relevant candidates for future therapies informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
Because this is primarily preclinical lab and animal research, patients should not expect direct therapeutic benefit from the grant activities now.
What this research studies
If you have liver cancer, this work looks at whether changing the LIFR–LCN2 pathway can make current drugs work better. The team uses lab studies and mouse models where LIFR is removed or increased in liver cells to see how that affects tumor growth, iron levels, and immune (CD8+ T cell) presence. They measure LCN2, NF-κB activity, and tumor sensitivity to ferroptosis and to drugs like sorafenib to search for biomarkers and targets. Findings would guide whether restoring LIFR or blocking LCN2 could become a strategy to help people with HCC.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify ways to improve responses to existing liver cancer drugs and provide biomarkers to predict who will benefit.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies from this team showed LIFR loss promotes liver tumors and resistance to sorafenib-induced ferroptosis in mice, but this approach has not yet been proven in people.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ma, Li — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Ma, Li
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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.