Tiny tubulin tentacles on floating breast cancer cells
Tubulin microtentacles in detached mammary epithelial cells
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · NIH-11210460
Researchers are testing whether blocking specific cell machinery and drugs can make floating breast cancer cells less likely to clump and stick, which could lower the chance of the cancer spreading.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11210460 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will study tiny tubulin-based "microtentacles" that form on breast cancer cells when they are floating in the blood or lymph and try drugs that alter the cell's structural machinery and calcium signaling to reduce those tentacles. They will use advanced imaging and mechanical tools, including Brillouin microscopy and atomic force microscopy, to measure how the cells change. Promising drug candidates and pathway inhibitors will be tested in zebrafish and mouse models and on tumor cells taken from patients. The aim is to find ways to prevent circulating tumor cells from clustering and reattaching, a key step in metastasis.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with breast cancer who are willing to donate tumor tissue or blood samples for circulating tumor cell studies at participating centers.
Not a fit: Patients without breast cancer or whose tumors do not shed circulating tumor cells are unlikely to get direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to drugs or approaches that reduce how often breast cancer spreads by blocking circulating tumor cells from clumping and reattaching.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory and mouse studies from this group have shown microtentacles help circulating tumor cells stick in the lung, but translating these findings into human therapies is still early.
Where this research is happening
BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE — BALTIMORE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MARTIN, STUART S — UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- Study coordinator: MARTIN, STUART S
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.
Conditions: Anti-Cancer Agents