How the protein EZH2 helps breast cancer spread
Role of EZH2 in Breast Cancer Progression
This research looks at whether changes in the EZH2 protein explain why aggressive triple-negative and metaplastic breast cancers, especially in African American women, spread to other parts of the body.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11253279 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join this work, researchers will study tumor samples from patients and use lab models to track how EZH2 is changed and moves into the cell cytoplasm when it is phosphorylated at a specific site (T367). They will combine proteomic analysis of clinical samples with molecular experiments to map how EZH2's altered function promotes metastasis. The team focuses on triple-negative and metaplastic breast cancers, which occur more often and behave more aggressively in African American women. The aim is to identify molecular steps that could become targets for new treatments or tests.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people with triple-negative or metaplastic breast cancer—especially African American women—or patients willing to provide tumor tissue or clinical data for research.
Not a fit: Patients with non-breast cancers or with other breast cancer subtypes such as hormone-receptor positive disease are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new drug targets or tests to stop or predict spread in aggressive triple-negative and metaplastic breast cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research links EZH2 to aggressive cancers and early EZH2 inhibitors have been explored, but the specific phosphorylation-driven, cytoplasmic role in metastasis is a relatively new and less-tested idea.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kleer, Celina G — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Kleer, Celina G
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.