How ALDH2 affects mouth and esophagus cell health and cancer
Aldh2 and epithelial homeostasis and pathobiology
Researchers are testing ways to block alcohol-related damage in mouth and esophagus cells so treatments can better target aggressive squamous cell cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11381708 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient point of view, the team studies how the enzyme ALDH2 and alcohol byproducts (like acetaldehyde) damage cells in the mouth and esophagus and help dangerous cancer cells survive. They grow miniature patient- and mouse-derived organoids (tiny tissue models) to watch how DNA damage and a survival marker called CD44 let cancer cells resist chemotherapy and alcohol stress. The researchers use genetic tools and drugs that block a repair protein (FANCT) to see if cancer organoids die while normal tissue survives. The work seeks drug targets that could one day lead to treatments that kill cancer cells linked to alcohol exposure without harming healthy tissue.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with or at high risk for head-and-neck or esophageal squamous cell carcinoma—especially those with heavy alcohol use or known ALDH2 dysfunction—would be the most relevant candidates for related trials or tissue-donation efforts.
Not a fit: Patients with cancers that are not squamous cell types of the head, neck, or esophagus, or those whose disease is unrelated to alcohol/ALDH2 biology, are less likely to benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to therapies that more precisely kill alcohol-related head-and-neck and esophageal squamous cancers while sparing normal tissue.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory and organoid studies show promising results for targeting the Fanconi anemia pathway in these cancers, but clinical benefit in patients has not yet been established.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nakagawa, Hiroshi — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Nakagawa, Hiroshi
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.