NPEPPS: a new target to help chemotherapy work better for bladder cancer
NPEPPS is a novel and druggable determinant of chemotherapy resistance in bladder cancer
Blocking a protein called NPEPPS may help cisplatin chemotherapy work better for people with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11377186 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers discovered NPEPPS in lab-grown bladder cancer cells as a protein that changes how well cisplatin works. They are using gene-editing screens, protein-mapping tools, and mouse models to see how blocking NPEPPS changes tumor growth and drug uptake. The team is also comparing NPEPPS levels in human tumor samples to patient outcomes to link the lab findings to real patients. This work is taking place at the University of Colorado and aims to move promising lab findings toward treatments that could be tested in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who are candidates for cisplatin-based neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy would be the most relevant group.
Not a fit: Patients with non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer or those medically unable to receive cisplatin are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, targeting NPEPPS could let more bladder cancer patients benefit from cisplatin-based chemotherapy and improve survival for non-responders.
How similar studies have performed: This is a novel target, and related preclinical studies in cell and animal models support the idea, but clinical testing in patients has not yet been done.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Costello, James Christopher — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Costello, James Christopher
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.