MALT1's role in shaping the immune environment of triple-negative breast cancer
Role of MALT1 in regulating the breast cancer immune microenvironment
Seeing whether blocking a protein called MALT1 can help the immune system better attack triple-negative breast cancer in people with aggressive, receptor‑negative tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11239009 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), this work looks at how a protein called MALT1 helps tumors hide from the immune system and grow more aggressively. Researchers will use tumor samples and lab models to study signals from certain cell receptors (GPCRs) that activate MALT1 and drive tumor changes linked to immune suppression. The team will test whether stopping MALT1 reverses those changes and makes the tumor environment more friendly to immune attack. The goal is to find molecular targets that could lead to new, less toxic treatments for TNBC, a form of breast cancer more common in African American and Hispanic women.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with triple-negative breast cancer, especially those whose tumors show signs of active GPCR/MALT1 signaling, would be most relevant for this work.
Not a fit: Patients with hormone receptor–positive or HER2‑positive breast cancer are unlikely to benefit from this MALT1-focused approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to targeted treatments that strengthen immune responses against TNBC and reduce reliance on broad, toxic chemotherapies.
How similar studies have performed: MALT1-targeting has shown promise in laboratory models and some blood cancers, but applying it to triple-negative breast cancer and its immune microenvironment is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- Mayo Clinic Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lucas, Peter C — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Lucas, Peter C
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.