S100A7’s role in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer among African American women
Official title: Unravel the novel role of S100A7 and its functional partners in Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer Racial Disparity
Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11379088 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new study at Ohio State University aims to understand why triple-negative breast cancer is more aggressive in African American women by looking at how the immune system within tumors may be helping the cancer grow.
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 start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,408,631 |
| NIH project number | 4R01CA292020-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11379088 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
AA women with triple-negative breast cancer or related TNBC patient-derived models may be eligible for future translational studies or trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-TNBC breast cancer or those not matching the study’s target models may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine the tumor environment in African American TNBC samples to see how immune signals interact with the S100A7 protein. They will study how S100A7 affects IFNγ signaling and the PD-L1/Fas balance on tumor cells, which may create an immune-suppressive setting that lets cancer spread. The work includes analyzing patient samples, cell lines, and patient-derived xenograft models to test whether blocking S100A7 with a neutralizing antibody can slow tumor growth and metastasis. The goal is to identify mechanisms that could be targeted to improve outcomes for AA women with TNBC.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to new therapies that reduce metastasis and improve survival for African American women with TNBC.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows S100A7 involvement in tumor aggression; this study extends findings to AA TNBC and immune interactions, representing a potentially impactful but still exploratory approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ganju, Ramesh K. — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Ganju, Ramesh K.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Genomic study to understand how genetics and epigenetics shape triple-negative breast cancer in African ancestry
This study looks at how inherited genes and gene activity affect triple-negative breast cancer in people of African ancestry to better understand why outcomes can be worse.
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A study aims to block two cancer-promoting pathways (IL-6 and CDK4/6) to prevent or reduce progression of triple-negative breast cancer in women veterans.
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Dormancy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: How Liver and Skin Metastases Go Quiet or Reactivate
Researchers will study how dormant cancer cells in liver and skin metastases of triple-negative breast cancer become quiescent or wake up, using organ-on-chip models and single-cell analysis to map chromatin states.
-
Rac-enhanced CAR-Macrophages against TNBC
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.
-
A new peptide therapy to help treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
A new peptide therapy called PEG-FUD is being tested to help treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer by normalizing the tumor environment to improve treatment delivery.
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.