How PPARD activity helps early pancreatic lesions become pancreatic cancer
PPARD hyperactivation promotes pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia progression into pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
This research looks at whether high PPARD activity in the pancreas helps precancerous PanIN lesions progress to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in adults at risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11266192 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers use mouse models that carry the common KRAS mutation seen in human PanINs and give them high-fat or PPARD-activating diets to see if early lesions move toward cancer. They compare mice with normal PPARD to mice where PPARD is removed or overexpressed in the pancreas, and track lesion growth, cancer development, and spread. The team measures inflammatory signals and immune cells in the pancreas to understand how PPARD changes the tumor environment, and checks human pancreatic samples for PPARD activity. Findings will point toward whether blocking PPARD or changing diet might slow or stop lesion progression.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with known PanINs or pancreatic cysts, people at high genetic or familial risk for pancreatic cancer, or patients able to donate pancreatic tissue or clinical samples for research.
Not a fit: People without pancreatic precancerous lesions or those with advanced, metastatic pancreatic cancer are less likely to get direct benefit from this prevention-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to prevent precancerous pancreatic lesions from becoming cancer, possibly through lifestyle changes or drugs targeting PPARD.
How similar studies have performed: Previous preclinical studies have shown that diet and specific genetic changes can speed PanIN progression in mice, but directly targeting PPARD is a newer approach with limited clinical data so far.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shureiqi, Imad — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Shureiqi, Imad
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.