mRNA tail changes that help cancers hide from the immune system
Pan-Cancer characterization of 3’UTR somatic mutations controlling tumor immune evasion
['FUNDING_R01'] · BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11262189
This project looks for common changes in the tail ends of cancer mRNAs across many tumor types that may let tumors escape immune attack and point to better ways to predict or treat cancer.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11262189 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers will analyze genetic and molecular data from thousands of tumors to find mutations or shortening in the 3' untranslated region (the mRNA tail) that change how tumors interact with immune cells. They will combine computer-based searches of large public and clinical datasets with laboratory tests that validate many variants at once and spatial RNA mapping in tissue samples. The team aims to connect specific 3'UTR changes to patterns of immune cell presence and to responses to immunotherapy. Findings could be used to develop new biomarkers or targets for therapies that stop tumors from hiding.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with solid tumors who can provide tumor tissue or whose tumor genomic data are available through a hospital or tumor bank.
Not a fit: Patients without cancer or whose tumors lack 3'UTR changes are unlikely to see direct benefit from this specific research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biomarkers to better predict who will respond to immunotherapy and identify new targets to prevent tumors from evading the immune system.
How similar studies have performed: Some individual examples (for example PD-L1 3'UTR alterations) have shown that 3'UTR changes can affect immune evasion, but a broad pan-cancer, transcriptome-wide search and validation effort like this is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: VLACHOS, IOANNIS — BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: VLACHOS, IOANNIS
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.