How MEK cancer drugs can damage heart mitochondria
Official title: Defining the role of mitochondrial injury in MEK inhibitor cardiotoxicity
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11142507 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether MEK-targeting cancer drugs like trametinib harm the mitochondria in heart muscle and cause heart problems in people treated for cancers such as melanoma or triple-negative breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | August 11, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $519,681 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL165294-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11142507 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People receiving MEK inhibitor drugs (for example trametinib) for cancers such as melanoma or triple-negative breast cancer, or patients who have developed heart dysfunction after these drugs, would be the most relevant for follow-up or related clinical participation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have never taken MEK inhibitors or whose heart problems are clearly due to unrelated causes may not benefit directly from these findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will use mouse models treated with trametinib to measure heart function, mitochondrial number and energy production, and gene activity patterns. They will expose isolated heart muscle cells in the lab to trametinib to watch for direct mitochondrial injury and inflammatory signaling. The team will compare these molecular changes to other types of heart failure to see what is unique about MEK inhibitor effects. Findings will guide ideas for protecting the heart during cancer treatment and point toward possible tests or treatments to reduce cardiotoxicity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help prevent or treat heart damage caused by MEK inhibitors and make cancer treatments safer for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have documented MEK inhibitor–related heart dysfunction, but the idea that mitochondrial injury is a central mechanism is relatively new and not yet fully tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jensen, Brian C — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Jensen, Brian C
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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.