How GABA-A receptors may drive triple-negative breast cancer
Official title: Mechanistic studies on the role of GABA type A ion channel (GABAA) receptors in triple negative breast cancer
Funded at Saint Joseph's University · NIH-11125535 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks into whether GABA-A receptor signals on tumor cells help triple-negative breast cancer grow, move, and resist treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Saint Joseph's University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $420,600 |
| NIH project number | 1R15CA301412-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11125535 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with triple-negative breast cancer who want to follow progress toward new targeted treatments or who might consider donating tumor tissue for research could be interested in this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non–triple-negative breast cancers or those looking for immediate treatment options should not expect direct clinical benefit from this basic laboratory project.
What this research studies
Researchers will use human triple-negative breast cancer cell lines and laboratory models to measure GABA-A receptor levels and the chloride ion flow those channels control. They will reduce or block specific GABA-A subunits and watch how that changes cell division, movement, and the structure of the cell’s actin cytoskeleton. Experiments will include in vitro migration and cell-cycle assays and other molecular tests to link receptor activity to cancer cell behavior. The long-term aim is to find membrane targets that could be reached by drugs or antibodies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify a new membrane target that leads to drug or antibody therapies tailored for triple-negative breast cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior preclinical work has linked GABA signaling to growth and migration in some cancers and showed that blocking GABA-A can slow cell movement, but the specific role of GABA-A in triple-negative breast cancer remains relatively understudied.
Where this research is happening
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Saint Joseph's University
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mercier, Isabelle — Saint Joseph's University
- Study coordinator: Mercier, Isabelle
Related research
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Researchers will study how dormant cancer cells in liver and skin metastases of triple-negative breast cancer become quiescent or wake up, using organ-on-chip models and single-cell analysis to map chromatin states.
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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.