Friday, October 31, 2025 10/31/2025

Regulation of prostate epithelial basal cell plasticity

Award Number: R01CA271452
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/25/2015
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2027

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Regulation of prostate epithelial basal cell plasticity - Project Summary Prostatitis is a common urinary tract problem for men. Although pathological and epidemiological studies have linked prostatitis to the development of prostate cancer, its molecular mechanism remains unclear. Answering this question will have clinical benefits in prostate cancer prevention and early intervention. It has been proposed that inflammation can induce tissue stem cell expansion, thereby enlarging the cellular pool for oncogenic transformation. In the prostate, epithelial basal cells serve as stem cells during organogenesis and injury repair, but are quiescent in adult homeostasis. Preliminary data in mouse models suggest that prostatitis reactivates adult basal cells to promote basal-to-luminal differentiation, which facilitates the initiation and progression of prostate cancer. The goal of this project is to elucidate the mechanisms regulating basal cell plasticity in prostatitis and apply the knowledge for prostate cancer prevention. Our central hypothesis is that dysregulation of the androgen receptor (AR) and Wnt signaling crosstalk through an increase of Wnt/β-catenin activity and insufficient AR sequestration is a major factor underlying basal cell reactivation in prostatitis. In three specific aims, we will use an integrated approach of mouse genetics, in vivo lineage tracing, prostate organoid culture, ChIP-seq, biochemistry, single cell RNA-seq, and bioinformatics to determine the AR and β-catenin cistromes in basal cells in prostatitis, characterize the inflammatory stromal environment essential for the enhancement of basal Wnt activities, and assess the effectiveness of Wnt inhibition in delaying prostatitis-stimulated cancer. This project will provide novel insights into the mechanistic link between prostatitis and prostate cancer, a long-standing question in the field. The research outcomes will positively impact human health since Wnt signaling is a druggable target and its inhibition is a potentially promising treatment for ameliorating prostatitis-induced cancer progression.


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: 2025 ( Subtotal = $338,280 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ	1156 HIGH ST	SANTA CRUZ	CA	95064	SANTA CRUZ	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	9	2/14/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$304,453
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ	1156 HIGH ST	SANTA CRUZ	CA	95064	SANTA CRUZ	USA	Cancer Biology Research	001	9	5/23/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$33,827
														Subtotal = $338,280

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $321,365 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ	1156 HIGH ST	SANTA CRUZ	CA	95064	SANTA CRUZ	USA	Cancer Biology Research	001	8	4/18/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$16,912
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ	1156 HIGH ST	SANTA CRUZ	CA	95064	SANTA CRUZ	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	8	2/22/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$304,453
														Subtotal = $321,365

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $331,515 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ	1156 HIGH ST	SANTA CRUZ	CA	95064	SANTA CRUZ	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	7	2/25/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$331,515
														Subtotal = $331,515

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $338,280 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ	1156 HIGH ST	SANTA CRUZ	CA	95064	SANTA CRUZ	USA	Cancer Biology Research	000	6	3/14/2022	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$338,280
														Subtotal = $338,280

Grand Total All Awards = $1,329,440

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Regulation of prostate epithelial basal cell plasticity

Award Number: R01CA271452

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

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

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/25/2015

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2027

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