Blocking a protein to reduce harmful scarring after heart injury
Role of RBP in programming and reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts
This project tests whether lowering a protein called Ybx1 can stop heart-support cells from turning into scar-making cells for adults with heart injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11111454 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You are told that certain support cells in the heart (cardiac fibroblasts) can change after injury and make excess scar tissue that leads to heart stiffness and heart failure. Researchers are focusing on an RNA-binding protein called Ybx1 that seems to help drive that change, and they plan to reduce or remove Ybx1 in lab and animal models to see if scarring is prevented. They will use genetic tools, tissue analyses, and molecular methods like ATAC-seq to track how cell programs change when Ybx1 is altered. The work aims to reveal steps that could become targets for future treatments to limit scarring after a heart attack.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have experienced heart injury such as a myocardial infarction or who are at risk of developing cardiac fibrosis would be the most relevant group for future therapies stemming from this work.
Not a fit: People without heart injury, those with purely electrical heart disorders, or anyone seeking an immediate treatment today are unlikely to benefit directly from this preclinical research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new ways to limit cardiac scarring and preserve heart function after injury.
How similar studies have performed: Other preclinical studies that block fibroblast activation have reduced scarring in animal models, but targeting Ybx1 is a newer approach with limited prior testing.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Jiandong — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Liu, Jiandong
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 below.