How the APE1 protein controls a DNA damage checkpoint in cancer
Roles and regulations of APE1 in ATR signaling
This work looks at whether the APE1 protein turns on a DNA-damage checkpoint in cancer cells that affects tumor cell survival.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Carolina Charlotte NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlotte, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11270835 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will follow how the APE1 protein behaves inside lab-grown cancer cells and whether it forms droplet-like structures in the nucleolus that alter ribosomal RNA production. They will use purified proteins in test-tube (in vitro) systems to see how APE1 recognizes single-strand DNA gaps and recruits ATR/ATRIP, and they will use Xenopus (frog) egg extracts to recreate the checkpoint signaling. The team combines cell biology, biochemical reconstitution, and imaging to map the sequence of events that activate ATR-Chk1 signaling. Findings are aimed at explaining a basic mechanism that appears stronger in cancer cells than in normal cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Although this is lab-based research that does not enroll patients, its results would be most relevant to patients whose tumors show high APE1 activity or defects in ATR-related DNA damage responses.
Not a fit: Patients with cancers that do not rely on ATR/APE1-driven DNA repair pathways or with non-dividing tumors are less likely to benefit from findings of this project in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to make cancer cells more sensitive to treatments that damage DNA or to new drug targets that block tumor survival pathways.
How similar studies have performed: Previous basic work has established APE1 roles in DNA repair and some preliminary data suggest a novel role in ATR signaling, but translating this mechanism into patient therapies remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Charlotte, United States
- University of North Carolina Charlotte — Charlotte, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yan, Shan — University of North Carolina Charlotte
- Study coordinator: Yan, Shan
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.