Turning ER-positive breast cancer into a viral target for immune attack
Targeting ER+ Breast Cancer Through Induced Viral Mimicry
This project aims to wake up viral-like bits inside ER-positive breast cancer cells so the immune system can spot and attack them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308203 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team is studying ER-positive breast cancer cells to find a protein (FBXO44) that keeps viral-like genetic elements turned off. By blocking FBXO44 or its partner SUV39H1, these normally silent elements can become active and trigger internal antiviral alarms in cancer cells. That alarm can cause replication stress in the tumor and recruit immune cells such as T cells and natural killer cells to attack the cancer. The work is done in cancer cell models and tumor data analyses with the goal of creating treatments that make ER-positive tumors more visible to the immune system while sparing normal cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with ER-positive (estrogen receptor–positive) breast cancer, including those with metastatic disease, would be the likely candidates for future therapies based on this work.
Not a fit: Patients with ER-negative breast cancers or unrelated conditions would not be expected to benefit directly from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make ER-positive breast cancers more visible to a patient's immune system and improve immune-based treatment options.
How similar studies have performed: Related strategies that reactivate endogenous retroviruses using epigenetic drugs have shown promising preclinical results and some early clinical signals, but targeting FBXO44/SUV39H1 is a novel and specific approach.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Spruck, Charles H. — Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
- Study coordinator: Spruck, Charles H.
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.