How the protein COP1 controls androgen receptor activity and prostate cancer growth and treatment resistance
COP1 REGULATION OF AR SIGNALING AND PROSTATE CANCER GROWTH AND THERAPY RESISTANCE
This research will test whether boosting a protein called COP1 to help break down GATA2 can lower androgen receptor activity and slow or reverse growth in prostate cancers that resist hormone therapy or taxane chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321567 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You will hear about lab work showing COP1 helps mark the GATA2 protein for destruction, which may reduce androgen receptor signaling that drives many prostate cancers. Researchers will use cell models and mouse tumors to study how COP1 and GATA2 interact and to see whether increasing COP1 makes tumors more sensitive to docetaxel chemotherapy. The team will also examine human tumor datasets and patient tissue samples to check whether COP1 levels relate to tumor growth or treatment resistance. Overall the project combines molecular experiments, animal testing, and analysis of human data to link laboratory findings to patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with advanced prostate cancer—especially those with castration-resistant disease or whose cancer no longer responds to taxane chemotherapy—would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients with early, localized prostate cancer or those whose tumors do not rely on androgen receptor/GATA2 pathways are less likely to benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could restore sensitivity to hormone therapy or chemotherapy and slow growth of treatment-resistant prostate cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical lab data already suggest COP1 can reduce AR activity and re-sensitize resistant tumors, but this approach has not yet been proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Feng — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Yang, Feng
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.