Targeting specific proteins to combat treatment resistance in advanced prostate cancer
Official title: Targeting FOXA2/AP-1 axis to overcome lineage plasticity and therapy resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Funded at University of Massachusetts Boston · NIH-11100274 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how two specific proteins help advanced prostate cancer become resistant to standard hormone treatments, with the goal of finding new ways to effectively treat patients who are struggling with this tough condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Boston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | February 21, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $415,902 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA299202-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11100274 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with advanced prostate cancer, particularly those who have developed resistance to androgen receptor-targeted therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage prostate cancer or those who have not yet undergone treatment may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how certain proteins, specifically FOXA2 and AP-1, contribute to the development of resistance in advanced prostate cancer that no longer responds to standard hormone therapies. By understanding the mechanisms that allow cancer cells to change and adapt, the study aims to identify new therapeutic strategies that can effectively target these resistant cancer cells. The approach involves examining how these proteins interact with the cancer cell's genetic material to promote survival and growth despite treatment. Patients may benefit from insights that could lead to more effective treatments for advanced prostate cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapies that effectively treat advanced prostate cancer that has become resistant to current treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in targeting similar pathways in cancer treatment, suggesting that this approach could yield significant advancements.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Boston
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cai, Changmeng — University of Massachusetts Boston
- Study coordinator: Cai, Changmeng
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how aggressive cell states emerge in castration-resistant prostate cancer
A research project aims to uncover the hidden cell states that help prostate cancer resist standard therapy and how these states arise early in tumor development.
-
Enhancer RNA CYP11A1-eRNA in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Researchers are testing a new RNA-based target, CYP11A1-eRNA, to see if blocking it can hamper the growth of castration-resistant prostate cancer in the lab and animal models.
-
Targeted Immunostimulatory Dual Drug Conjugates for Heterogeneous Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Researchers are testing a targeted therapy approach to help people with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer by boosting the immune system and delivering drugs directly to cancer cells.
-
Androgen Receptor Action in Prostate Cancer that Stops Responding to Therapy
This grant supports research to understand why certain prostate cancers stop responding to AR-targeted therapies and to find new ways to target them.
-
Hyperactive methylation in a hard-to-treat prostate cancer subtype
Researchers are studying a newly identified methylation-heavy group of advanced prostate cancer to understand its biology and find clues for better treatments.
-
Therapeutic Targeting of Lineage Plasticity in Advanced Prostate Cancer
A cancer research effort aimed at understanding and tackling how aggressive prostate cancers become resistant to standard AR-targeted therapies.
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.