Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Human Liver Microphysiological System for Assessing Drug-Induced Liver Toxicity In Vitro
Published on: January 31, 2022
Pioglitazone, Nuclear Receptors, and Aerodigestive Prevention
1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota. ondre002@umn.edu.
Abstract:
There has been intense interest in nuclear receptor targeting for cancer prevention. With the exception of estrogen antagonism in breast carcinoma there has not been widespread adoption or success of this strategy in clinical cancer prevention. Keith and colleagues have performed a careful study, which utilized the PPARγ nuclear receptor agonist, pioglitazone, a common type II diabetes agent, in subjects at risk for lung carcinoma. Although the results are not promising with this strategy, the study provides evidence for feasibility accrual and biomarker strategies that could be utilized to gain additional insight in future trials.
Insights
Nuclear receptor targeting shows promise for cancer prevention, but a study on pioglitazone for lung cancer prevention yielded unpromising results. Future trials can benefit from the study's feasibility and biomarker strategies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Nuclear receptors are key targets for cancer prevention strategies.
- Estrogen antagonism is successful in breast cancer prevention, but other nuclear receptor targeting strategies have seen limited clinical success.
- This study investigated pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonist, for lung carcinoma prevention.
Discussion:
- The study evaluated pioglitazone's efficacy in individuals at high risk for lung cancer.
- Results indicated that pioglitazone was not a promising strategy for lung cancer prevention in this cohort.
- The trial demonstrated the feasibility of patient accrual and the utility of biomarker strategies for future research.
Key Insights:
- Nuclear receptor agonists, like pioglitazone, may not be effective for lung cancer prevention.
- The study successfully established feasibility and accrual methods for high-risk lung cancer populations.
- Biomarker strategies were validated, offering valuable insights for subsequent clinical investigations.
Outlook:
- Further research is needed to explore alternative nuclear receptor targets or agents for lung cancer prevention.
- The established feasibility and biomarker approaches can inform the design of future cancer prevention trials.
- This study highlights the complexities of translating nuclear receptor targeting into broad clinical cancer prevention applications beyond specific cancer types.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones
Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors
Acarbose and miglitol are...
Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Glinides
Transducer Mechanism: Nuclear Receptors
About 48 different soluble family members of nuclear receptors are identified that can be divided into two main classes:

