How a blood lipid called lysoPI drives artery inflammation and plaque buildup
LysoPI/GPR55 pathway promotes endothelial activation, vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis
This project looks at whether a fat-like molecule called lysoPI turns on a receptor named GPR55 in artery-lining cells and promotes inflammation and plaque in people at risk for heart and blood vessel disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Temple Univ of the Commonwealth NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11241995 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will measure lysoPI levels in artery tissue and blood and use lab-grown human aortic endothelial cells to see how lysoPI affects cell activation and adhesion molecule production. They will study signaling events such as mitochondrial oxidative stress and PRMT1 activity in these human cells and use RNA sequencing to track gene-expression changes. Mouse models prone to atherosclerosis (ApoE-/- mice) will be used to test whether the lysoPI–GPR55 pathway increases plaque formation and whether blocking the pathway reduces inflammation. The team combines metabolomics, molecular biology, and animal experiments to connect findings back to human disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with atherosclerosis or who are at high risk for cardiovascular disease (for example due to high cholesterol, diabetes, or prior heart attack) would be the most relevant patients for future related clinical studies.
Not a fit: People whose conditions are unrelated to arterial inflammation—such as isolated valvular heart disease from structural defects or non-atherosclerotic vascular disorders—are less likely to benefit from interventions targeting lysoPI/GPR55.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new anti-inflammatory targets (like GPR55 or lysoPI pathways) that lead to treatments to slow or prevent atherosclerosis.
How similar studies have performed: Anti-inflammatory approaches for cardiovascular disease (for example IL-1 blockade) have shown clinical benefit, but targeting lysoPI and GPR55 is a newer, largely untested strategy.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Temple Univ of the Commonwealth — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Xiaofeng — Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
- Study coordinator: Yang, Xiaofeng
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.