How an HDL-linked protein (Serum Amyloid A) may protect lungs in sepsis
Investigating the Role of HDL-Associated Serum Amyloid A in Sepsis-Induced Acute Lung Injury and Mortality
This work tests if the protein Serum Amyloid A carried on HDL (the 'good' cholesterol) can help people with sepsis avoid severe lung damage and death.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252301 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective: researchers will use well-established sepsis models in mice and lab experiments with immune cells to study how Serum Amyloid A (SAA) bound to HDL affects lung inflammation and survival. They will raise or replace SAA in animals, measure lung injury, neutrophil infiltration, and markers of inflammation, and test how SAA-HDL influences immune cell movement in lab tests. The team will compare these preclinical findings with existing clinical data linking HDL levels to sepsis outcomes to understand whether boosting SAA-HDL could be protective. The goal is to generate evidence that could guide future treatments aimed at reducing sepsis-related lung failure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People hospitalized with sepsis, especially those developing or at risk for sepsis-related acute lung injury, would be most relevant to future studies based on this work.
Not a fit: People without sepsis or with non-infectious lung conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to a new treatment approach that reduces lung injury and deaths from sepsis by restoring protective SAA-HDL function.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies by this group show SAA loss worsens lung injury and that restoring SAA improves survival in mice, but human therapies based on this approach have not yet been proven.
Where this research is happening
Lexington, United States
- University of Kentucky — Lexington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shridas, Preetha — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Shridas, Preetha
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.