NIH R01 · 2024
Harnessing the nervous system to overcome resistance to immunotherapy in oral cancer
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT To maximize their growth and metastatic potential, solid tumors promote the formation of new nerve fibers in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In patients with oral, prostate, breast, gastric, pancreatic, and other cancers, high densities of nerve fibers in the TME are associated with poor clinical outcomes. We proved that oral cancer cells induce a unique heterogeneous composition of tumor-associated neurons (TANs) in the TME. The nervous system plays important roles in homeostasis and inflammatory responses in tissues. However, the regulation of immune cells by nerves remains largely unclear. Our long-term goal is to elucidate the reciprocal nerve-cancer signals…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.