Targeting histidine phosphorylation for cancer treatment
Histidine phosphorylation as a new target for cancer therapy
Researchers are seeing whether blocking or measuring a chemical tag called histidine phosphorylation in tumor cells can lead to new treatments for cancers such as liver cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Salk Institute for Biological Studies NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174508 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project develops and uses special antibodies to find and map histidine-phosphorylated proteins, a form of protein modification that has been hard to detect until now. The team studies cancer cells, mouse models, and human tumor samples to understand where this modification occurs and how it changes cell behavior. By enriching and analyzing these modified proteins, researchers aim to identify specific enzymes and pathways that might be good drug targets. The work is lab-focused and seeks molecular clues that could guide future diagnostics or therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers—especially hepatocellular (liver) cancer—or patients willing to donate tumor tissue for research would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose tumors do not show changes in histidine phosphorylation or who need immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to get direct benefit from this basic laboratory research now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal new drug targets or biomarkers that lead to targeted treatments or better tests for cancers with abnormal histidine phosphorylation.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory studies using these antibodies have demonstrated detectable histidine phosphorylation and changes in liver tumors, but targeting pHis therapeutically is a novel approach not yet tested in patients.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, UNITED STATES
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hunter, Tony R. — Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- Study coordinator: Hunter, Tony R.
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.