cGAS-STING signaling and monocyte activation in diabetic retinopathy
Official title: cGAS-STING signaling in diabetic retinopathy
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11314487 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand how a cell communication pathway called cGAS-STING affects monocytes and blood vessel leakage in diabetic retinopathy, and whether activating a protective receptor (PPARα) can help.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $387,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY033330-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11314487 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with diabetes who are at risk for or have early signs of diabetic retinopathy and are able to participate in biomarker studies or imaging assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without diabetic retinopathy or diabetes-related eye disease, or those unable to participate in related laboratory studies, may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project studies why monocytes become overactive and cause retinal blood vessel leakiness in diabetes. It looks at how cGAS-STING drives inflammation in these cells and whether activating PPARα can dampen that response. The team uses diabetic models to test how reducing cGAS-STING activity affects retinal leukostasis and vascular leakage, and whether fenofibrate-like treatments can help. Findings could reveal new ways to protect vision in people with diabetic retinopathy by targeting immune cell signaling.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new strategies to prevent or reduce retinal damage and vision loss in people with diabetic retinopathy by modulating monocyte inflammation.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical evidence suggests that targeting cGAS-STING and PPARα can modulate monocyte activation and retinal inflammation, supporting further investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ma, Jian-Xing Jay — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Ma, Jian-Xing Jay
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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.