Angiotensin's effect on immune cells and nerve pain in type 2 diabetes
Official title: Angiotensin Signaling Underlies Myeloid and Sensory Disruption in Diabetes
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11522665 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether higher levels of the hormone angiotensin cause immune changes that lead to nerve pain and numbness in people with type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | May 2, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $187,920 |
| NIH project number | 3R01DK132019-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11522665 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with type 2 diabetes, especially those with early metabolic syndrome or symptoms of nerve pain or numbness, would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with neuropathy from causes other than type 2 diabetes or with long-standing irreversible nerve damage may not benefit from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying how elevated angiotensin II in type 2 diabetes changes myeloid immune cells (such as macrophages) and how those changes harm nerves and cause pain or sensory loss. They will examine disease stages from metabolic syndrome through late-stage T2D using mouse models, tissue analyses, and molecular assays including ATAC-seq to track changes in immune-cell development. The team will measure angiotensin levels in lymphoid tissues and test whether blocking angiotensin production or signaling can reverse sensory changes seen in their models. Results may point to immune- or angiotensin-targeted approaches to prevent or reduce diabetic neuropathy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to treatments that prevent or reverse diabetic nerve pain and numbness by targeting angiotensin signaling or related immune changes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal work from this group shows angiotensin inhibitors can reverse sensory gain in diet-induced diabetes models, but translation to people is still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shepherd, Andrew John — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Shepherd, Andrew John
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.