Targeting PFAS to slow liver cancer growth
Identifying phosphoribosylformylglycinamidine synthase inhibitors as a new class of purine antimetabolites
Researchers are creating drugs that block a protein called PFAS to slow the growth of liver cancer cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11292416 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will search for small molecules that specifically inhibit the PFAS enzyme and use those compounds as tools to study how PFAS helps tumors grow. Promising inhibitors will be tested in lab-grown liver cancer cells and in animal models to see if they reduce tumor growth. Successful compounds will be used to validate PFAS as a drug target and to guide early drug-development efforts. This work aims to produce molecules that could become the starting point for new treatments for patients with PFAS-driven liver cancers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with liver cancer—especially those whose tumors show high PFAS activity—would be the likely candidates for future trials based on this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose tumors do not rely on PFAS or who have other types of cancer may not benefit from PFAS-targeting drugs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to a new class of drugs that slow tumor growth in some liver cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Preliminary lab studies show that lowering PFAS slows liver cancer cell proliferation, but specific PFAS-blocking drugs are novel and have not yet been tested in patients.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: French, Jarrod B — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: French, Jarrod B
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.