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Targeting tumor-associated macrophages for triple-negative breast cancer treatment

Award Number: R01CA258778
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 12/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2026

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Targeting tumor-associated macrophages for triple-negative breast cancer treatment - Project Summary/Abstract Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by the lack of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, all of which are important therapeutic targets. TNBC is the most difficult-to-treat subgroup of breast cancers and is resistant to many current cancer therapies. The present situation of poor prognosis with limited therapy options in TNBC emphasizes an urgent need for more effective therapeutics. The ability to escape from the surveillance by the immune system is regarded as one of the essential hallmarks of cancer cells. Recent exciting discoveries have identified many important signals and mechanisms mediating cancer cell immune evasion. Immunotherapies have been developed to target these signals, revolutionizing the treatment of a variety of human cancers. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) represent the major components of the tumor microenvironment in TNBC. Recent studies demonstrate that the blockade of a “don’t eat me” signal CD47 leads to direct phagocytosis of living cancer cells by macrophages, and significantly inhibits the engraftment of various malignant hematopoietic and solid tumor cells in mice that lack T, B, and NK cells, indicating a critical role of macrophages in cancer immunosurveillance. Targeting TAMs in the tumor microenvironment represents a new class of promising cancer immunotherapy. While inducing anticancer functions of TAMs holds considerable promise for cancer treatment, there are several barriers that need to be overcome to achieve desired efficacy for treating TNBC. In preliminary studies, we found that TAMs can be reprogrammed by small molecule antineoplastic compounds to induce their phagocytic ability against TNBC cells. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms regulating the reprogramming of macrophages remains unclear. The overall objective of the proposed study is to understand the underlying mechanisms of macrophage-mediated immunosurveillance in TNBC and to develop strategies to effectively treat TNBC by exploiting tumoricidal roles of TAMs, with a combination of in vitro and in vivo preclinical TNBC models. In Aim1, we will assess the efficacy of reprogramming macrophages in TNBC treatment by using metastatic TNBC models and chemotherapy-resistant patient-derived xenograft models. In Aim2, we will study the molecular mechanisms by which macrophages are reprogrammed by dissecting the functions and roles of Pattern Recognition Receptor signaling pathways in macrophage reprogramming and characterizing TAM subgroups in TNBC tumors. In Aim3, we will determine the effects of targeting macrophage cell surface molecular machinery on activating TAMs for TNBC treatment. Successful completion of the proposed studies should shed light on the basic principles of cancer cell immune evasion and inspire the development of novel therapeutics for TNBC treatment.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $467,633 )
2026	2026	BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE CITY OF HOPE	1500 DUARTE RD	DUARTE	CA	91010	LOS ANGELES	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	5	12/11/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$467,633
														Subtotal = $467,633

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $519,592 )
2025	2025	BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE CITY OF HOPE	1500 DUARTE RD	DUARTE	CA	91010	LOS ANGELES	USA	Cancer Biology Research	001	4	5/29/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$51,959
2025	2025	BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE CITY OF HOPE	1500 DUARTE RD	DUARTE	CA	91010	LOS ANGELES	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	4	11/12/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$467,633
														Subtotal = $519,592

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $493,611 )
2024	2024	BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE CITY OF HOPE	1500 DUARTE RD	DUARTE	CA	91010	LOS ANGELES	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	3	11/16/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$467,633
2024	2024	BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE CITY OF HOPE	1500 DUARTE RD	DUARTE	CA	91010	LOS ANGELES	USA	Cancer Biology Research	001	3	4/17/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$25,978
														Subtotal = $493,611

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $509,199 )
2023	2023	BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE CITY OF HOPE	1500 DUARTE RD	DUARTE	CA	91010	LOS ANGELES	USA	Cancer Biology Research	001	2	3/29/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$41,566
2023	2023	BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE CITY OF HOPE	1500 DUARTE RD	DUARTE	CA	91010	LOS ANGELES	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	2	11/18/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$467,633
														Subtotal = $509,199

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $538,218 )
2022	2022	BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE CITY OF HOPE	1500 DUARTE RD	DUARTE	CA	91010	LOS ANGELES	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	1	11/18/2021	NEW	$538,218
														Subtotal = $538,218

Grand Total All Awards = $2,528,253

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Targeting tumor-associated macrophages for triple-negative breast cancer treatment

Award Number: R01CA258778

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 12/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2026

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