How the ASH1L gene helps prostate cancer spread to bone and evade the immune system
Official title: Determine the Role of Histone Methyltransferase ASH1L in Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11194264 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether targeting the ASH1L protein can stop prostate cancer from spreading to bone and help the immune system fight tumors in people with metastatic prostate cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $537,699 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA278889-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11194264 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with metastatic prostate cancer—especially those with bone metastases or tumors that show high ASH1L levels—are the most relevant group for this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage, localized prostate cancer or tumors that do not exhibit ASH1L overexpression may not directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
The team will use a newly developed genetically engineered mouse model and advanced single-cell transcriptomics to see how ASH1L changes cancer cells and nearby immune cells in the metastatic bone environment. They will combine these animal experiments with analysis of human tumor samples that show ASH1L amplification or overexpression. Researchers will track gene activity and immune-suppressing signals to map how ASH1L creates an environment that helps tumors grow and spread. The work aims to pinpoint molecular steps that could be targeted to reverse immune suppression and reduce metastasis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new therapies that slow or prevent bone metastases and make immunotherapies more effective for metastatic prostate cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: ASH1L has been implicated in blood cancers previously, but applying ASH1L-focused approaches to solid tumor metastasis is largely novel and untested.
Where this research is happening
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University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhao, Di — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Zhao, Di
Related research
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ASH1L’s role in metastatic prostate cancer and its immune environment
Aims to understand how the ASH1L gene helps prostate cancer spread and how it shapes the immune environment in bone metastases so future therapies can target this process.
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A multi-year study at a major university will explore how metastatic prostate cancer changes its cell type and how to target those changes to help patients.
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A new study looks at how gut bacteria make compounds that influence prostate cancer treatments and may drive resistance to therapy.
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.