Understanding how certain breast cancer cells influence lung tissue to promote metastasis
Official title: Obscurin-Deficient Breast Epithelia Generate Secreted Factors that Prime Lung Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Pre-metastatic Microenvironment Formation
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore · NIH-10912529 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a missing protein in breast cells might help breast cancer spread to the lungs, and it aims to find out how this happens so that new treatments can be developed to stop the cancer from spreading in patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2023 |
| Project end | July 14, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $47,091 |
| NIH project number | 5F30CA278384-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10912529 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with breast cancer, particularly those with aggressive forms of the disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-metastatic breast cancer or those with other types of cancer may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the absence of a protein called obscurin in breast epithelial cells affects the formation of a supportive environment in the lungs that facilitates the spread of breast cancer. The study focuses on the secreted factors from these obscurin-deficient cells that may prime lung vascular smooth muscle cells to create a pre-metastatic microenvironment. By examining the biochemical pathways involved, particularly the PI3K/Akt2 signaling pathway, the research aims to uncover the mechanisms that link breast cancer progression to changes in lung tissue. This could lead to new therapeutic strategies to prevent metastasis in breast cancer patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that prevent the spread of breast cancer to the lungs, improving patient survival rates.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of linking obscurin loss to pre-metastatic microenvironment formation is novel, similar studies have shown success in understanding the mechanisms of metastasis in other cancers.
Where this research is happening
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University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eason, Matthew Kent — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Eason, Matthew Kent
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.