The research plan of the present project is structured to i) define the effects of Endocannabinoids (eCBs) alone or in combination with Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators (SPMs) on gastrointestinal (GI) cancer cell proliferation, survival, migration, and angiogenic potential; ii) investigate whether the effect(s) of eCBs on cancer cells imply changes in pro-resolving responses and vice-versa; iii) identify the main receptors responsible for the effects of SPMs/eCBs against GI cancers; iv) investigate the prognostic and therapeutic potential of our observations using organoids from patients and healthy controls and mouse models of cancer growth.
EXPECTED RESULTS We expect to
- Validate the eCB and SPM pro-resolutive involvement in proliferation, invasiveness, and the angiogenic response of gastric and colon experimental carcinogenesis;
- Identify key molecular targets conveying the activity of SPMs and eCBs against cancer progression;
- Profile the “tone” of bioactive lipid synthesis or reduced functionality of the shared molecular pathways in organoids from human cancer patients compared to controls.
Goal of the project:
Defining new chemopreventive and curative strategies for gastrointestinal cancer
ICB coordinator and involved personell:
Dott.ssa Alessia Ligresti, Dott. Poulami Kumar (collaboratore associato ICB)
Lead institution:
Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare del CNR
Participating institutions:
Università di Napoli Federico II
