How aged cells contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome
Official title: The Role of Cellular Senescence in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11238565 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether clearing out aged 'senescent' cells in the wrist's connective tissue can reduce scarring and nerve pressure for people with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2020 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $603,632 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR076347-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238565 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome who are willing to provide tissue samples or participate in future clinical tests of senolytic treatments.
✕Less likely to help
People with longstanding, severe nerve damage, carpal tunnel caused by unrelated injuries or inflammatory diseases, or those who cannot safely take senolytic drugs may not receive benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying tissue from people with carpal tunnel to look for signs of 'senescent' (aged) cells and the inflammatory signals they release. They grow cells from the subsynovial connective tissue (SSCT) in the lab and treat them with drugs called senolytics (dasatinib + quercetin) to see if markers of aging and fibrosis decrease. The team also examines immune signals like interferon-gamma that may allow these cells to evade clearance and drive scarring. Findings could point toward drug approaches to limit or reverse the fibrosis that squeezes the median nerve.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to drug treatments that reduce fibrosis and relieve carpal tunnel symptoms, potentially offering non-surgical options.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory studies and early work in other fibrotic conditions show senolytic drugs can lower senescence and fibrosis markers, but benefit for carpal tunnel in people remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gingery, Anne — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Gingery, Anne
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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.