Immune cell circuits in primary colon tumors and their lymph node and liver metastases
Official title: Project II: Immune regulatory circuits in primary colon cancer and lymph node and liver metastases
Funded at Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-11176073 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how immune cells and their neighborhoods behave in people with the common pMMR form of colon cancer to find ways to make immunotherapy work better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $442,500 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA274492-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11176073 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with mismatch repair–proficient (pMMR) colorectal cancer who can provide tumor tissue and have lymph node or liver metastases available for sampling, typically at the enrolling cancer center.
✕Less likely to help
People with cancers other than colorectal cancer, those without accessible tumor or metastasis tissue, or those unable to attend the participating center are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
What this research studies
The team will compare immune cells—especially regulatory T cells (Treg) and Th17 cells—in primary colon tumors and matching lymph node and liver metastases taken from the same patients using molecular tools like ATAC-seq and related assays. They will also use a novel mouse model that mimics pMMR colorectal cancer spread and apply targeted perturbations including genetic tools such as CRISPR to test which immune circuit components drive metastasis and therapy resistance. By mapping cellular "immunomodulatory neighborhoods" and testing how changing particular cell types affects tumor growth and response to immunotherapy, the researchers aim to find targets or strategies that could later be tested in patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify immune targets or strategies that help more people with pMMR colorectal cancer respond to immunotherapy and improve outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows MSI‑high colorectal cancers can respond to immunotherapy and that mapping tumor immune microenvironments can reveal targets, but directly targeting Treg/Th17 circuits in pMMR metastatic CRC is relatively novel and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
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Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rudensky, Alexander Y — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Rudensky, Alexander Y
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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.