How aging makes ARDS worse by changing Nox4 activity in lung blood‑vessel barriers
Official title: Aging and ARDS: Novel Mechanistic Role of Nox4/D in Age-Dependent Barrier Dysfunction
Funded at Veterans Health Administration · NIH-11212813 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether age-related rises in a protein called Nox4 make lung blood vessels more leaky in older people with ARDS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Decatur, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | October 1, 2022 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006003-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11212813 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is most relevant to older adults who develop ARDS or severe acute lung injury and may inform future trials for that group.
✕Less likely to help
People without ARDS or whose lung problems are driven by causes unrelated to endothelial barrier leak may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, the team compares young vs. aged cells and animals to see how Nox4 and its reactive oxygen signals affect the lung blood‑vessel barrier after injury. They examine how Nox4 levels are controlled by protein modification and by the cell's degradation machinery (ubiquitin/proteasome) and why that control fails in senescent endothelial cells. The researchers use molecular, cellular, and preclinical lung‑injury models to link persistent Nox4/ROS to worse injury and poor resolution in aging. Their goal is to find molecular steps that could be targeted to restore barrier function and reduce severe ARDS in older patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new therapies that reduce lung blood‑vessel leak and improve outcomes for older adults with ARDS.
How similar studies have gone: Prior preclinical studies have linked Nox4 and ROS to lung barrier failure and worse outcomes in aged mice, but translation to human treatments remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Health Administration
Decatur, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hecker, Louise — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Hecker, Louise
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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.