Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded a $706,739 Project Grant to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center on June 2, 2026, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) to investigate the molecular mechanisms of immunotherapy-associated myocarditis. This five-year research initiative (through May 31, 2031) addresses a critical clinical challenge: immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatments, while effective in cancer therapy, can trigger severe cardiac inflammation with mortality rates up to 50%. The project will examine how cardiac-protective factors, specifically the mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF)/fibrinogen-like 1 (FGL1)/lymphocyte-activating 3 (LAG3) signaling axis, regulates immune privilege in the heart and mitigates ICI-induced myocarditis.

The research utilizes established mouse models replicating ICI-myocarditis to characterize the cardiac immune microenvironment and identify mechanisms by which MANF upregulates cardiac FGL1 to modulate T cell activation and inflammatory responses. The anticipated products of this research include fundamental discoveries about direct cardiac-T cell interactions, insights into how ICIs dysregulate protective cardiac mechanisms, and potentially new therapeutic targets to reduce cardiovascular toxicity while preserving anti-tumor immunity. This translational research directly supports the NCI's Cancer Treatment Research program objectives to develop improved cancer treatment methods that reduce toxicity while maintaining therapeutic efficacy.