How NLR immune sensors help melanoma grow
Official title: Role of NLRs in Melanoma
Funded at VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System · NIH-11310778 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether changes in NLR proteins make melanoma more inflammatory and help tumors grow, which could point to new treatments for people with melanoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | September 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006598-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11310778 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with melanoma, especially those with advanced disease or tumors that carry NLRP3 or related inflammasome mutations, would be most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without melanoma or whose tumors lack inflammasome-related mutations are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers are using patient tumor data and lab experiments to study NLR family proteins, especially NLRP3, that can trigger an inflammatory complex called the inflammasome in melanoma. They will analyze genomic data from melanoma tumors, examine how common somatic NLRP3 mutations change protein structure, and test whether those changes activate caspase-1 and IL-1β signaling in melanoma cells and tumor samples. Laboratory work will use cell-based models and patient-derived materials to see whether inflammasome activation promotes tumor growth, drug resistance, or immune suppression. The goal is to link specific tumor mutations to inflammation-driven tumor behavior and identify possible molecular targets to block this pathway.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to therapies that block inflammasome-driven inflammation and improve responses to existing melanoma treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have linked inflammasome activity to cancer progression, but directly connecting somatic NLRP3 mutations to tumor-promoting inflammasome activation is a newer, less-tested idea.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fujita, Mayumi — VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Fujita, Mayumi
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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.