How a faulty urea cycle contributes to liver cancer development
Official title: Defective urea cycle promotes oncogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-10980165 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how problems with the body's way of processing ammonia might lead to liver cancer, and it's using mice to help find new ways to understand and treat this type of cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $450,997 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA286043-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10980165 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma, particularly those with liver disease or elevated ammonia levels.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with liver cancer unrelated to urea cycle dysfunction or those without liver disease may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the role of the urea cycle and ammonia handling in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a common type of liver cancer. It focuses on how disruptions in the urea cycle enzymes and the synthesis of glutamate and glutamine can promote tumor growth. Using mouse models, the study examines the relationship between ammonia levels, urea cycle activity, and cancer progression, aiming to uncover new insights into liver cancer biology and potential therapeutic targets.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing or treating liver cancer by targeting the metabolic pathways involved in ammonia handling.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of this research is novel, previous studies have shown that targeting metabolic pathways can be effective in cancer treatment.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zong, Wei-Xing — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Zong, Wei-Xing
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Glutamine and macrophage behavior in liver cancer
A funded project at a medical university aims to understand how the liver’s immune cells interact with a specific type of liver cancer by looking at metabolism, especially glutamine and ammonia.
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This project tests a new PET imaging approach to help diagnose and guide treatment for liver cancer in veterans.
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This project will see if a blood test can find liver cancer earlier in Hispanic people who have chronic hepatitis B.
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Early blood markers to find hepatitis B–related liver cancer in Hispanics
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Towards a blood-based test using nanophotonic exosomes to screen and diagnose liver cancer
A new blood test using tiny particles shed by liver cancer cells aims to screen for hepatocellular carcinoma earlier and more accurately.
-
Metabolic imaging to guide targeted therapy for liver cancer
A clinician-scientist at UPenn is pursuing training to use metabolic imaging to tailor therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.
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.