Targeting STING Pathways in SPOP-Mutant Prostate Cancer
Official title: Targeting Non-Canonical STING Signaling to Treat SPOP Mutant Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11384741 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A precision cancer study explores how STING signaling changes in a specific form of prostate cancer to find new treatment approaches.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $668,323 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA281727-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384741 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with prostate cancer who harbor SPOP mutations, including those with castration-resistant disease, may be eligible for related future studies or trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without SPOP mutations or those whose cancer biology does not involve STING signaling may not benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying men with prostate cancer that carries SPOP mutations to understand how non-canonical STING signaling affects tumor growth and response to therapies. The project uses human tumor samples and cell/animal models to map how SPOP mutations alter inflammatory pathways and tumor microenvironment interactions. By linking a SPOP-mutant gene signature to STING-NF-κB signaling, the study aims to identify potential targets to improve therapies, including combinations with PARP inhibitors. This is a translational research effort designed to inform future treatments for patients with this cancer subtype.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new targeted therapies for SPOP-mutant prostate cancer and help tailor treatments based on a patient’s tumor biology.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that STING pathway alterations can influence tumor growth and immune interactions, suggesting potential as a therapeutic target, though this exact SPOP-mutant/STING axis is being explored.
Where this research is happening
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University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thompson, Timothy Charles — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Thompson, Timothy Charles
Related research
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Understanding how aggressive cell states emerge in castration-resistant prostate cancer
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Enhancer RNA CYP11A1-eRNA in castration-resistant prostate cancer
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Targeted Immunostimulatory Dual Drug Conjugates for Heterogeneous Metastatic Prostate Cancer
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Therapeutic Targeting of Lineage Plasticity in Advanced Prostate Cancer
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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.