Helping the immune system spot and attack colorectal cancer by targeting the immunoproteasome
Official title: Targeting immunoproteasome-mediated antigen presentation in colorectal cancer immunotherapy
Funded at Indiana University Indianapolis · NIH-11256760 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project works to make colorectal cancers easier for the immune system to recognize and attack by improving how tumor cells display protein fragments to immune cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $501,827 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA260274-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11256760 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with colorectal cancer—particularly those whose tumors do not respond to current immunotherapy or show low antigen presentation—would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors have permanent loss of MHC-I genes or who cannot receive immunotherapy for medical reasons may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
As a patient, I would hear that researchers are studying how colorectal cancer cells hide from killer T cells by changing how they process and show small protein pieces (antigens) on their surface. They are focusing on the immunoproteasome, a cellular machine that shapes those displayed fragments, and trying ways to restore or alter its function so tumor cells present more targets to immune cells. Lab experiments with tumor samples and models will check whether these changes raise MHC-I levels on cancer cells and make existing immunotherapies, like checkpoint blockers or adoptive T cell treatments, work better. If the lab work is promising, the team aims to move toward combining these approaches with current treatments in clinical testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make immunotherapies effective for more people with colorectal cancer by increasing tumor visibility to T cells.
How similar studies have gone: Related preclinical work shows that altering antigen processing can boost immune recognition and combining immune strategies has helped some cancers, but targeting the immunoproteasome in colorectal cancer remains largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Indiana University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Xinna — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Xinna
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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.