Protecting the heart from doxorubicin chemotherapy
Therapeutic Strategies to Mitigate Toxicities of Anthracycline-Based Therapeutics
Seeing if blocking the OCT3 pathway can stop heart damage in people receiving doxorubicin chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11242070 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use heart cells made from patients' own stem cells to learn how doxorubicin gets into heart muscle and causes damage. They found that a transporter called OCT3 helps the drug enter heart cells and is higher in patients with heart problems. The team confirmed the finding in mice lacking OCT3 and used imaging to show preserved heart function when OCT3 was absent. They also tested drugs that block OCT3 and found they could protect the heart without reducing doxorubicin’s ability to kill cancer cells in lab models.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People receiving doxorubicin or other anthracycline chemotherapy—especially those at higher risk for heart damage—would be the main candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not treated with anthracyclines or whose heart problems are caused by unrelated conditions are unlikely to benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce or prevent heart damage from doxorubicin, making cancer treatment safer.
How similar studies have performed: Targeting OCT3 is a relatively new approach backed by cell and mouse data, while existing heart-protection options for anthracyclines are limited.
Where this research is happening
Columbus, UNITED STATES
- Ohio State University — Columbus, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sparreboom, Alexander — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Sparreboom, Alexander
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.