How Osterix-positive bone-lineage cells help breast cancer grow and spread
Official title: Role of Osterix+ Osteolineage Cells in Primary and Metastatic Breast Cancer
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11258864 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if Osterix-positive bone-lineage cells in the tumor environment help breast cancer grow and spread and whether targeting them could improve outcomes for people with breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | February 20, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $437,793 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA270030-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258864 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with breast cancer, including those with primary tumors or metastatic disease who can provide tumor tissue or consent to clinical sample collection, would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
People without breast cancer or whose tumors lack Osterix-positive stromal features are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
The team is tracking bone-derived osteolineage cells that express the protein Osterix to understand how they join breast tumors and alter the tumor microenvironment. They will use mouse breast cancer models (including 4T1), co-inject Osx+ cells with tumor cells, and run laboratory assays to measure effects on tumor growth, immune activity, and extracellular matrix. Researchers will also study stromal cells from human breast tumor samples and look at clinical data to see if Osx expression links to prognosis. The combined animal and human-sample work aims to reveal whether these cells create tumor-supportive niches and point to ways to block them.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify new targets or biomarkers in the tumor microenvironment to slow tumor growth and reduce the risk of metastasis.
How similar studies have gone: Prior preclinical efforts that target tumor-supporting stromal cells have shown promise, but focusing on Osterix-positive osteolineage cells in breast cancer is a relatively novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Faccio, Roberta — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Faccio, Roberta
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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.