# Impact of WTC dust on immune functions and prostate cancer promotion

> **NIH ALLCDC U01** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2020 · $600,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This application addresses a set of targeted health issues through a Cooperative Research Agreement with the
World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program (UO1). WTC rescue and recovery workers have experienced
multiple illnesses as documented in longitudinal studies. WTC dust is a complex mixture of asbestos, silica,
benzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds and
metals (Zeig-Owens, 2011, Li et al., 2012, Solan et al., 2013). The presence of such carcinogens and
inflammation inducers in WTC dust has raised the concern that those exposed to the WTC environment after
its collapse could have an increased cancer risk. To date, there have been three cohort studies indicating that
total cancer rates are 6-14% above background rates with statistically significant increased rates for thyroid
and prostate cancer (Zeig-Owens, 2011, Li et al., 2012, Solan et al., 2013). While precise exposure
measurements were not performed, estimates of increased exposure based on workers' time of arrival and
proximity to the WTC as well as duration of exposure were associated with increased risk of tumor progression
(de la Hoz, Christie et al. 2008). Despite these correlative data, the contribution of WTC dust exposure to
tumorigenesis has not been evaluated in a cause and effect manner. Our preliminary observations indicate that
WTC dust exposure alters the functions of immune cells. Our evidence indicates that the inflammatory
responses elicited by WTC dust can affect tumor cell migration and induce an epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT)
gene signature in ways that could contribute to more aggressive prostate tumors observed in WTC rescue and
recovery workers observed in our preliminary data. Moreover, inflammation is known to be associated both
with prostate cancer progression and carcinogen exposure. This project is designed to test these hypotheses
and to evaluate the consequences of acute and chronic WTC dust exposure using genetically engineered
mouse (GEM) models of prostate cancer. These prospective data will be correlated with studies of prostate
tumor tissues from cancer patients among WTC responders. The goals are to elucidate possible mechanisms
by which WTC dust may induce diseases in those at risk, how the inflammatory responses induced by WTC
dust may correlate with biomarkers identified in human prostate tumor tissues, and whether prostate tumor
progression in mouse models may be ameliorated through control of the inflammatory response and
application of cancer immune modulatory therapies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9948528
- **Project number:** 5U01OH011328-05
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** Stuart A Aaronson
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $600,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9948528

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9948528, Impact of WTC dust on immune functions and prostate cancer promotion (5U01OH011328-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9948528. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*