How aging, a heart calcium channel (TRPV4), and angiotensin II can cause dangerous heart rhythms
Official title: Cardiomyocyte TRPV4 and Angiotensin-II induced ventricular arrhythmia with aging
Funded at University of Missouri-Columbia · NIH-11309556 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research is seeing whether blocking a heart calcium channel called TRPV4 can reduce angiotensin II–related dangerous ventricular rhythms in aging hearts.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Missouri-Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | March 3, 2017 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $418,229 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL136292-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309556 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with age-related heart disease, high blood pressure or heart failure, or a history of ventricular arrhythmias would be the most likely candidates for treatments developed from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose arrhythmias are driven by unrelated genetic ion-channel disorders or who are young without angiotensin II–driven heart changes may be less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will study heart cells, isolated whole hearts, and live mice to learn how the TRPV4 calcium channel changes with age and responds to angiotensin II. They will use drugs that block TRPV4 and genetically engineered mice that lack or overexpress TRPV4 in heart muscle to watch calcium signals and heart contractions. Experiments include isolated cardiomyocyte tests, perfused heart preparations, and live-animal monitoring for abnormal heart rhythms and remodeling. The goal is to link TRPV4 activity to angiotensin II–driven calcium problems and ventricular arrhythmias in older hearts.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new treatments that prevent or reduce life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias in older adults by targeting TRPV4.
How similar studies have gone: Some preclinical work suggests TRPV4 blockers can protect heart tissue in lab models, but applying this approach specifically to angiotensin II–driven arrhythmia in aging hearts is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Domeier, Timothy Lee — University of Missouri-Columbia
- Study coordinator: Domeier, Timothy Lee
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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.