How reductive stress affects non-small cell lung cancer
Deciphering the Role of Reductive Stress in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer
['FUNDING_R37'] · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · NIH-11228405
This project looks at whether turning on a cell's NRF2 antioxidant response can stop the growth of some non-small cell lung cancers.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R37'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11228405 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This work focuses on non-small cell lung cancer and how an imbalance toward 'reductive' chemistry inside cells affects tumor growth. Researchers activated the NRF2 antioxidant pathway across more than 50 lung cancer cell lines and observed which cells stopped dividing. In about 16% of cell lines, NRF2 activation caused a severe block in proliferation, and a genome-wide CRISPR screen pointed to genes involved in mitochondrial function that control this vulnerability. The team plans to use these findings to identify which patients' tumors might be sensitive and to guide future targeted treatment approaches.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with non-small cell lung cancer, especially those whose tumors do not carry KEAP1 mutations (KEAP1 wildtype), would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose tumors already have KEAP1 mutations with constant NRF2 activation, or patients with non-NSCLC cancers, are less likely to benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal a new weakness in a subset of non-small cell lung cancers that future therapies could exploit.
How similar studies have performed: NRF2 and KEAP1 have been extensively studied in lung cancer, but deliberately activating NRF2 to block growth in KEAP1-wildtype tumors is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: BAR-PELED, LIRON — MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- Study coordinator: BAR-PELED, LIRON
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.