Immune signaling (GARP/TGF-β1) in prostate cancer across ethnic groups
Ethnicity-determined T cell responses and GARP/TGFbeta1 signaling in prostate cancer
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · NIH-11231667
This project looks at whether immune cells and a protein pathway called GARP/TGF-β1 work differently in prostate tumors from African American and European American men to help explain outcome differences.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (IRVINE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11231667 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will use tumor and normal tissue from men with prostate cancer to grow mini-tumors (organoids) and isolate supportive fibroblast cells, and they will compare those with matching blood immune cells from the same patients. They will measure how T cells respond to tumor cells and how the GARP/TGF-β1 pathway, which can turn down immune attacks, is produced and released by the tumor environment. The team will directly compare samples from African American and European American men to look for biological differences that might affect responses to immunotherapy. Findings could point to biological reasons for racial differences in prostate cancer outcomes and suggest more personalized treatment approaches.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Men with prostate cancer who can provide tumor tissue and blood samples—particularly African American and European American patients—would be the ideal participants.
Not a fit: Men without prostate cancer or those who cannot or will not provide tissue or blood samples are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could explain why responses to some immunotherapies differ by race and suggest ways to improve or tailor treatments for men with prostate cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Prior clinical and lab work has suggested racial differences in tumor immunity (including a survival advantage for African American men in a vaccine trial), but linking those differences to GARP/TGF-β1 signaling is a relatively new and specific approach.
Where this research is happening
IRVINE, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE — IRVINE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ZI, XIAOLIN — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE
- Study coordinator: ZI, XIAOLIN
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.