How male hormones affect immune cells in cancer treatment
Understanding how T cell intrinsic androgen receptor activity influences cell differentiation and dysfunction
This project explores how male hormones impact immune cells, aiming to make cancer immunotherapies work better for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11127758 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We know that male hormones can weaken the immune system, but current cancer treatments don't always consider this. This project has found that blocking the male hormone receptor might be key to helping immune cells, called T cells, fight cancer more effectively. By understanding how these hormones affect T cells, we hope to improve how well immunotherapies work for patients with certain cancers. Our findings suggest that combining hormone-blocking strategies with immunotherapy could lead to better outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancers like prostate cancer or sarcoma who are receiving or considering T cell-specific immunotherapy might benefit from future treatments based on this research.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers are not influenced by androgen receptor activity or who are not candidates for T cell-specific immunotherapy may not directly benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to make cancer immunotherapies more effective, especially for patients whose immune responses are suppressed by male hormones.
How similar studies have performed: Early findings from mouse models and a human clinical trial suggest that targeting the androgen receptor can improve the effectiveness of T cell-specific immunotherapy.
Where this research is happening
Portland, United States
- Oregon Health & Science University — Portland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Moran, Amy E — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Moran, Amy E
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.