Rac-enhanced CAR-Macrophages against TNBC
Official title: Rac-enhanced Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Macrophage (Race-CAR-M) Immunotherapy for Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Funded at University of Louisville · NIH-11520503 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new cell therapy approach uses engineered macrophages with a CAR and Rac2 activation to target and kill triple-negative breast cancer cells expressing CSPG4.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Louisville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Louisville, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $175,416 |
| NIH project number | 7R21CA301146-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11520503 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with triple-negative breast cancer expressing CSPG4, who have limited options from conventional therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not express CSPG4 or who cannot undergo cellular therapy may not benefit.
What this research studies
Triple-negative breast cancer is hard to treat with targeted therapies. This grant explores a novel therapy using macrophages engineered with a CAR to recognize CSPG4 on TNBC cells, and further boosted by Rac2 activation to improve tumor infiltration and cancer cell killing. The project will test the specificity and effectiveness of Race-CAR-Ms and examine how they influence tumor blood vessel formation in the tumor environment. Studies will be conducted using relevant models to evaluate safety, efficacy, and potential impact on the tumor microenvironment. If successful, this approach could offer a new avenue for treating an aggressive breast cancer subtype with fewer side effects than standard chemotherapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: It could lead to a targeted immunotherapy option for TNBC, potentially improving tumor control and reducing treatment-related toxicity.
How similar studies have gone: CAR-Macrophage strategies are emerging and have shown promise in preclinical models, suggesting potential but still early-stage success.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Louisville
Louisville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mishra, Abhinava Kumar — University of Louisville
- Study coordinator: Mishra, Abhinava Kumar
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Determinants of Response to DNA-Damaging Radiation and Immunotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
This grant explores why some people with triple-negative breast cancer respond to a combo of radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy and why others don’t, to guide more personalized treatment.
-
New immunotherapy combo for hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer
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-
Reprogrammed exosome immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer
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Engineered CD4+ T cells targeting KK‑LC‑1 for triple‑negative breast cancer
This project creates engineered CD4+ T cells that recognize the KK‑LC‑1 tumor antigen to help people with HLA‑DR13-positive triple‑negative breast cancer.
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Why some triple-negative breast cancers respond to radiation plus immunotherapy and others resist
This project looks at whether patterns of tumor cell death and immune signals can predict and improve responses to radiation combined with anti-PD1 immunotherapy for people with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer that has spread to lymph nodes.
-
New combination immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer
See if adding a drug that blocks the JNK pathway can help immunotherapy work better for people with triple-negative breast cancer.
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.