CD39-bearing tiny vesicles may guard lungs in SCD patients
Official title: CD39-carrying extracellular vesicles regulate pulmonary thrombosis in Sickle Cell Disease
Funded at Versiti Blood Health, INC. · NIH-11397728 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in people with sickle cell disease explores whether extracellular vesicles carrying CD39 protect the lungs from blood clots during acute illness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Versiti Blood Health, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $759,074 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL166345-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11397728 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with SCD at risk for acute pulmonary complications and/or researchers studying SCD-related thrombosis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without sickle cell disease or without risk of pulmonary thrombosis may not benefit.
What this research studies
In people with sickle cell disease, acute lung complications due to clots are a major risk and current treatments are mainly supportive. This project focuses on tiny circulating vesicles that carry the enzyme CD39 and how they might reduce ADP-driven platelet clumping in the lungs during acute events. Researchers plan to study molecular pathways and test how these vesicles influence pulmonary thrombosis, aiming to identify targets for precision therapies. The goal is to understand why only some patients develop this complication and how to prevent it.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new strategies to prevent or treat pulmonary thrombosis in sickle cell patients, improving lung health and hospitalization outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show a role for ADP signaling in thrombosis, but this specific CD39-bearing EV mechanism requires validation in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Versiti Blood Health, INC.
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sundd, Prithu — Versiti Blood Health, INC.
- Study coordinator: Sundd, Prithu
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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.