How cells control arginine methylation on proteins
Official title: Regulatory Mechanisms of Arginine Methylation
Funded at Case Western Reserve University · NIH-11423440 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work explores how cells add, remove, and read methyl tags on protein arginine residues, which could help people with cancers driven by these changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Case Western Reserve University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $392,500 |
| NIH project number | 7R35GM146749-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423440 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with cancers whose tumors show abnormal arginine methylation or elevated PRMT1/PRMT5 activity would be the most relevant candidates for future trials stemming from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to arginine methylation or cancers that do not involve PRMT dysregulation are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic-lab project.
What this research studies
If I had cancer linked to arginine methylation, researchers at Case Western would study enzymes called PRMT1 and PRMT5 that add methyl tags and look for proteins that remove those tags ('erasers') and proteins that bind them ('readers'). They will use laboratory experiments with cells and biochemical tools to map which proteins are methylated and how upstream signals regulate PRMT activity across three focused projects. The team will test how arginine methylation affects DNA repair, gene activity, and cell signaling that can drive tumor growth. This basic-lab work aims to identify drug targets or biomarkers for cancers with abnormal arginine methylation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could reveal new targets or markers that lead to therapies or tests for cancers driven by abnormal arginine methylation.
How similar studies have gone: Related preclinical work targeting PRMT enzymes has shown promising results and some PRMT inhibitors have entered early clinical testing, but many basic questions remain.
Where this research is happening
-
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gan, Wenjian — Case Western Reserve University
- Study coordinator: Gan, Wenjian
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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.