How adding fatty chains to heart proteins affects heart function
Protein S-Palmitoylation in the Heart: Function and Regulation in Health and Disease
['FUNDING_R01'] · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · NIH-11233305
Researchers are mapping how adding and removing fatty lipid tags on heart proteins changes heart cell behavior and may relate to heart muscle disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (RICHMOND, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11233305 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project will map which heart proteins receive palmitoylation (a reversible fatty-chain tag) and identify the enzymes (DHHC proteins) that add these tags. The team will use heart tissue and proteomics from humans, dogs, and rats, along with experiments in heart cells and models, to see how palmitoylation patterns change in disease. They will test how altering palmitoylation affects protein location and function in heart muscle cells. Results aim to reveal which molecular changes drive cardiomyopathies and point to targets for future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cardiomyopathies or other heart muscle diseases, or those able to donate heart tissue or participate in related translational studies, would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without heart muscle disease or those not able to provide samples or travel to participating centers are unlikely to benefit directly from this grant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new molecular targets for diagnosing or treating cardiomyopathies.
How similar studies have performed: Previous proteomic work has mapped cardiac palmitoylation and identified candidate enzymes, but translating these findings into therapies remains largely new.
Where this research is happening
RICHMOND, UNITED STATES
- VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY — RICHMOND, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: TSENG, GEA-NY — VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: TSENG, GEA-NY
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.