TGFβ2 and macrophages in cancer-related muscle wasting
Official title: The Role of TGFβ2 and Macrophages in Cancer Cachexia
Funded at University of South Carolina at Columbia · NIH-11371200 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether a protein called TGFβ2 and a type of immune cell (M2 macrophages) cause muscle and weight loss in people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | May 8, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $524,709 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA288578-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11371200 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for future trials based on this work would be people with cancer who are experiencing ongoing unintentional weight loss and muscle wasting (cachexia).
✕Less likely to help
People without cancer-related weight or muscle loss, or whose weight loss is due to non-cancer causes, are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
If you are dealing with cancer-related weight or muscle loss, this work uses mouse models that mimic that condition to learn what starts the muscle scarring and wasting. The team will track when TGFβ2 levels rise and when M2 macrophages arrive in muscle, and then test what happens if they reduce M2 macrophages or block TGFβ2. They will measure muscle mass, strength, and tissue scarring to see whether these changes slow or stop the move toward severe cachexia. The goal is to find biological steps that could be targeted to protect muscle in people with cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to prevent or treat cancer-related muscle loss and improve quality of life and survival for patients with cachexia.
How similar studies have gone: Early preclinical data, including the team's own mouse experiments, show that targeting M2 macrophages or related signals can preserve muscle, but translating these findings to human treatments is still novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Carolina at Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Velazquez, Kandy T — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Velazquez, Kandy T
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Mitochondrial pores and muscle loss in cancer cachexia
A small US-based study will explore how changes in mitochondria contribute to muscle wasting in people with cancer cachexia and how this may be slowed.
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CANCAN: A Virtual Institute to Cure Cancer Cachexia
A broad, collaborative NIH initiative aims to uncover why cancer patients lose weight and muscle and to develop new ways to treat this serious condition.
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Spatial metabolism mapping in cancer cachexia tissues
Aims to map where and how metabolism changes in tissues affected by cancer cachexia using advanced imaging technology.
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Nuclear receptors that may stop muscle wasting in cancer
This grant explores whether activating specific muscle-regulating receptors can prevent muscle loss in cancer patients.
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Stopping an enzyme called Transglutaminase 2 to prevent cancer-related muscle loss
This work explores whether blocking an enzyme called Transglutaminase 2 can stop or reverse the severe muscle wasting that often affects people with pancreatic cancer.
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How the liver's ketone production affects muscle loss and recovery in pancreatic cancer
This project looks at whether helping the liver make ketones can prevent muscle wasting and aid recovery for people with pancreatic cancer.
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.