How H. pylori and cell-produced chemicals may drive stomach (gastric) cancer
Polyamines and Electrophiles in Gastric Cancer
This research looks at how common stomach infection (H. pylori) and certain cell chemicals cause damage that can lead to stomach cancer, aiming to find new ways to prevent or treat it for people at risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307031 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
They use tissue samples, cell models, and animal models to study how an enzyme called spermine oxidase (SMOX) makes toxic chemicals like acrolein and hydrogen peroxide that damage stomach cells. The team measures how these reactive chemicals form protein and DNA adducts, alter cell signaling, and change immune cell behavior in the stomach. By mapping these steps in H. pylori-related disease, they aim to identify targets to stop carcinogenesis and to develop prevention or treatment approaches. The work links laboratory findings to human gastric tissue and is centered at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with H. pylori infection, precancerous stomach changes (such as atrophic gastritis or intestinal metaplasia), or a family history of gastric cancer are the most likely candidates to benefit or be involved.
Not a fit: People with conditions unrelated to the stomach or those with advanced metastatic gastric cancer may not receive direct benefit from this early-stage, mechanism-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent or treat stomach cancer by blocking the harmful chemicals or the enzymes that produce them.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory studies have linked SMOX activity and electrophile damage to H. pylori-related gastric injury and cancer risk, but therapies targeting these pathways remain mostly experimental.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilson, Keith T. — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Wilson, Keith T.
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.