HLA‑E/NKG2A immune 'brake' in early bladder cancer
Official title: HLA-E and NKG2A define a novel immune checkpoint axis in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11285326 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The team is exploring whether targeting an immune 'brake' called HLA‑E/NKG2A can help people with non‑muscle‑invasive (early) bladder cancer who receive BCG therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $667,174 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA269954-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285326 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with non‑muscle‑invasive bladder cancer, especially those starting BCG or who have had recurrence after BCG.
✕Less likely to help
People with muscle‑invasive bladder cancer or those not treated with BCG are unlikely to be eligible or benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you have non‑muscle‑invasive bladder cancer, researchers will collect tumor tissue and blood or urine samples before and after BCG treatment to see how your immune system reacts. They will measure levels of HLA‑E and the NKG2A receptor on killer immune cells (natural killer and CD8 T cells) and look for inflammatory signals linked to treatment resistance. Lab studies using patient samples and models will test whether the HLA‑E/NKG2A pathway acts as an immune 'brake' that allows tumors to recur after BCG. The goal is to find biomarkers to predict who benefits from BCG and to point to new targets that could prevent recurrence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help predict who will respond to BCG and lead to new treatments that reduce recurrences of early bladder cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Blocking NKG2A is an emerging immunotherapy approach with early promise in other cancers, but its use in non‑muscle‑invasive bladder cancer is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Horowitz, Amir — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Horowitz, Amir
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Nrf2 in T cells and how it could boost immune power against bladder cancer
A small grant will explore how a T-cell protein called Nrf2 affects muscle-invasive bladder cancer and whether targeting it could help patients respond better to immune therapies.
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Repurposing spironolactone to treat bladder cancer inside the bladder
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Body fats and immune signals shaping bladder cancer outlook
This study will look at how body composition and immune/inflammatory states at diagnosis relate to the outlook for people with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
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Novel combination immunotherapy for non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Researchers are testing a new combination approach using a special anti-CD40 antibody with existing bladder cancer therapies to help patients whose NMIBC did not respond to standard BCG treatment.
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Why some bladder cancers don't respond to BCG treatment
This project will use detailed tissue and genetic tests to look for what makes some non-muscle invasive bladder cancers resist BCG so better treatments can be found for people who don't respond.
-
Salt-based nanomedicine to treat bladder cancer that doesn’t respond to standard BCG therapy
A patient-focused overview of a new salt-based nanoparticle therapy designed to target non-muscle invasive bladder cancer that is resistant to BCG treatment.
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.