How cancer treatment raises GDF15 and leads to muscle scarring and weakened nerve–muscle connections
Cellular basis for cancer treatment related GDF15 expression and the regulation of skeletal muscle fibrosis and neuromuscular integrity.
Researchers are looking at how cancer therapies cause higher GDF15 levels that may drive muscle scarring and neuromuscular decline in people treated as children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11300169 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses a mouse model of pediatric radiation and lab analyses to find which cells make GDF15 after treatment and how that affects muscle size, scarring, and nerve–muscle function. The team performs single‑cell RNA sequencing to pinpoint the cell types involved and measures muscle structure and neuromuscular performance over time. They focus on a stress pathway involving p53 and GDF15 in muscle‑resident endothelial cells and test whether altering this signal changes fibrosis and function. The findings aim to point to ways to prevent or reduce late muscle problems after childhood cancer therapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The most relevant people would be childhood cancer survivors or patients who received limb radiotherapy or chemotherapy and who have muscle weakness, reduced strength, or early signs of frailty.
Not a fit: People whose muscle problems come from genetic neuromuscular diseases or from causes unrelated to cancer treatment may not benefit from findings focused on treatment‑induced GDF15 pathways.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to treatments that prevent or reduce muscle scarring and early frailty in survivors of childhood cancer.
How similar studies have performed: GDF15 has been linked to stress responses and appetite in other studies, but targeting GDF15 to prevent radiation‑induced muscle fibrosis is a relatively new and unproven approach.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chakkalakal, Joe — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Chakkalakal, Joe
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.