How a heart receptor and calcium pump interact in heart failure
Regulation of a cardiac b1AR/SERCA2 complex in heart failure
This work looks at whether restoring a hidden heart receptor's signaling can help heart muscle cells pump better in people with heart failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11126618 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study a pool of beta1-adrenergic receptors located on the heart cell's calcium store (the sarcoplasmic reticulum) and how they help the heart contract. They will examine how an enzyme called monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) limits hormone access to those receptors in failing human hearts. The team will use lab studies of heart cells and tissue, plus animal models, to test how changing MAOA or the receptor interaction affects pumping strength. Findings will guide whether targeting this internal signaling pathway could become a new treatment approach.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with heart failure—especially those with reduced ejection fraction or who can donate heart tissue or join future clinical trials—would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without heart failure or whose symptoms are caused by unrelated conditions are unlikely to benefit from this line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that boost heart muscle contraction in patients with heart failure by restoring internal receptor signaling.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has shown surface beta1-adrenergic signaling matters and underlies current heart failure drugs, but the role of the internal sarcoplasmic reticulum beta1 receptors and MAOA is a newer, largely untested area.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xiang, Yang Kevin — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Xiang, Yang Kevin
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.