How prostate basal cells change during prostatitis
Regulation of prostate epithelial basal cell plasticity
This work looks at how inflammation from prostatitis turns on normally quiet prostate basal cells and how that might lead to prostate cancer in adult men.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Santa Cruz NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Cruz, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11286618 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient point of view, the team is trying to understand why prostatitis can reactivate stem-like basal cells in the prostate and how that could raise cancer risk. They use mouse genetic models, follow cell lineages inside animals, grow prostate organoids in the lab, and read gene activity with single-cell RNA sequencing and ChIP-seq to map androgen receptor and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Biochemistry and bioinformatics will tie those signals together to find the molecular steps that flip basal cells from quiet to active. The goal is to turn those findings into ways to prevent or catch prostate cancer early after prostatitis.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Men with a history of prostatitis or other prostate inflammation would be the most relevant group for the findings of this research, though the current work is primarily lab-based.
Not a fit: People without prostate inflammation or prostate disease are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific laboratory-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify molecular targets or markers that help prevent or detect prostate cancer earlier in men who have had prostatitis.
How similar studies have performed: Previous mouse and organoid studies have suggested inflammation can activate basal cells and promote cancer-like changes, but translating those findings into human prevention remains early and ongoing.
Where this research is happening
Santa Cruz, United States
- University of California Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Zhu — University of California Santa Cruz
- Study coordinator: Wang, Zhu
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.