How a fat called LacCer may harm heart and immune cells in people with hypoplastic left heart syndrome
Glycosphingolipid-Mediated Cardiomyocyte and Immune Cell Dysfunction in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Researchers will look at whether a lipid called LacCer damages heart and immune cells in people with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) to help find ways to prevent heart failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11311881 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or your child has HLHS, this project will analyze heart tissue and blood immune cells from HLHS patients to see if LacCer accumulates and drives damage. Scientists will treat human heart cells in the lab with LacCer to measure changes in energy production, oxidative stress, and inflammatory genes. They will also give LacCer in animal models to observe effects on heart size and mitochondrial function, and compare findings to patient blood cell responses. The goal is to link what is seen in patients to specific cellular and metabolic changes that could become targets for future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children and adults living with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, especially those who can provide blood samples or whose surgical tissues can be studied, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without HLHS or with other types of heart disease unrelated to single-ventricle physiology are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments or biomarkers that reduce heart muscle damage and slow or prevent heart failure in people with HLHS.
How similar studies have performed: Early lab and animal data, including the team's preliminary results, show that LacCer can impair mitochondrial energy use and increase inflammation, but applying these findings specifically to HLHS patients is a novel direction.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Garcia, Anastacia M — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Garcia, Anastacia M
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.