Stopping cancer-related fat loss caused by JAK/STAT signals
Identifying the Cellular and Molecular Targets of JAK/STAT-Driven Adipose Wasting to Reverse Cancer Cachexia
This work aims to find ways to block JAK/STAT signals that make people with advanced cancer lose fat and weight.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11175336 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use lab-grown fat cells and several mouse models of cancer to find which cancer-released signals cause fat to break down. They screen substances secreted by tumors and have identified the cytokine LIF as a trigger that acts through the JAK/STAT pathway. The team will map which cells in fat tissue respond and test ways to block those molecular steps so fat loss is reduced or reversed. Promising lab and animal results could guide new drug development or future clinical trials for patients with cachexia.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with advanced cancer who are experiencing significant weight loss and loss of body fat from cancer cachexia are the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Patients without cancer-related weight loss, those whose wasting is mainly muscle-only, or people whose weight loss comes from non-cancer causes are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that stop or reverse cancer-related fat loss, helping patients keep weight, strength, and potentially live longer.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical lab and mouse studies have already linked LIF and JAK/STAT signaling to fat wasting, so this builds on promising but still early evidence with no approved human treatments yet.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Infante, Rodney E — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Infante, Rodney E
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.