How stressed immune cells inside tumors help cancer hide
Mitochondrial stress promotes immunosuppressive potential of myeloid subsets in tumors
['FUNDING_R01'] · H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CTR & RES INST · NIH-11143142
This project looks at how stress inside tumors changes certain immune cells so they block the body's attack on cancer and seeks ways to reverse that to help immunotherapy work better.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CTR & RES INST (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (TAMPA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11143142 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers will focus on myeloid immune cells that enter tumors and become suppressive when exposed to mitochondrial and ER stress. They will study these cells using tumor tissue, lab experiments, molecular analyses, and animal models to map the stress pathways that change cell behavior. The team will test approaches to block or reprogram those stress signals to restore the immune cells' ability to fight cancer. The goal is to use these findings to inform new treatment strategies that could be moved toward clinical testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with solid tumors that show high levels of myeloid immune cell infiltration, especially those considering or receiving immunotherapy, would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers do not involve myeloid-driven immune suppression or whose disease is unrelated to tumor myeloid cells may not directly benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to stop immune-suppressing cells in tumors and make cancer immunotherapies work better.
How similar studies have performed: Prior lab studies have shown targeting ER and mitochondrial stress can alter immune cell behavior in mice and cell models, but benefits in patients have not yet been proven.
Where this research is happening
TAMPA, UNITED STATES
- H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CTR & RES INST — TAMPA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: RODRIGUEZ, PAULO CESAR — H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CTR & RES INST
- Study coordinator: RODRIGUEZ, PAULO CESAR
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.
Conditions: Cancer Induction, Cancer Patient, Cancers