Uracil and folate pathway changes in prostate tumors of African American men
DELINEATING THE ROLE OF THE HOMOCYSTEINE-FOLATE-THYMIDYLATE SYNTHASE AXIS AND URACIL ACCUMULATION IN AFRICAN AMERICAN PROSTATE TUMORS
This work looks at whether changes in folate and thymidine pathways cause harmful uracil buildup in prostate tumors from African American men.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11375132 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use a new DNA damage test called RADD to measure uracil and other DNA lesions in prostate tumor samples from African American men. They will compare metabolite levels in the folate and pyrimidine pathways and measure DNA repair proteins such as XRCC1 in those tumors. Lab experiments will probe how these metabolic and repair changes influence DNA damage and tumor cell behavior. The team will link these molecular findings to previously observed differences in tumor biology between African American and other patient groups.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: African American men with prostate cancer who can provide tumor tissue or participate in related clinical research are the most likely candidates to be involved.
Not a fit: People without prostate cancer, or patients whose tumors are not collected or who are not African American, are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal biological reasons for worse prostate cancer outcomes in African American men and point to new biomarkers or treatment targets.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work from the team has found altered folate metabolism and increased uracil lesions in African American prostate tumors, but combining RADD detection with metabolic and repair studies for this disparity is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krieger, Kimiko — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Krieger, Kimiko
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.