Using heme metabolism to boost the immune attack on breast cancer that has spread to the liver
Targeting heme metabolism to initiate an immune response against breast cancer liver metastasis
This project looks at whether changing tumor heme metabolism can help the immune system fight breast cancer that has spread to the liver.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309678 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are studying how aggressive breast cancer cells change heme processing to produce bilirubin, which may suppress immune cells in the liver. They will use laboratory experiments with breast cancer cells and mouse models to see how bilirubin and the enzyme HO-1 change macrophage behavior and immune responses in liver metastases. The team aims to identify molecular steps that could be blocked or reversed to restore immune activity in the liver microenvironment. Findings could point to new ways to make immunotherapy work better for breast cancer patients with liver metastases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with breast cancer that has metastasized to the liver, especially triple-negative breast cancer, are the group most likely to benefit or be future trial candidates.
Not a fit: People with early-stage breast cancer that has not spread to the liver or tumors that do not use the HO-1/bilirubin pathway may not benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that restore immune attack in the liver and improve responses to immunotherapy for patients with breast cancer liver metastases.
How similar studies have performed: Immune checkpoint therapies have helped some patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, and HO-1/bilirubin have been implicated in immune suppression in other cancers, but targeting heme metabolism in breast cancer liver metastasis is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Williams, Michelle M — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Williams, Michelle M
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.