How CD8 T cells speed up artery aging
Official title: Mechanisms of CD8+ mediated cell non-autonomous arterial aging
Funded at University of Texas Arlington · NIH-11251641 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying whether a type of immune cell called CD8+ T cells causes arteries to stiffen and raise heart disease risk in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Arlington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Arlington, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $569,832 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG086447-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251641 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults—especially older adults or people with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease—would be the most relevant group for this research.
✕Less likely to help
Young people without age-related artery changes or unrelated conditions are unlikely to directly benefit from this project in the near term.
What this research studies
This project focuses on immune cells called CD8+ T cells that build up around arteries as people age and may drive artery stiffness and loss of normal blood vessel function. Scientists will use lab experiments, animal models, and human tissue or blood samples to track these cells, the signaling molecule Eomes, and chemokines like CCL5 that may guide them to arteries. The team will test how CD8+ cells change with age and how those changes affect the cells that make up the artery wall. Results are intended to point to ways to prevent or reverse age-related artery damage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify new targets to prevent or reverse artery stiffening and reduce heart attack and stroke risk in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier animal studies and analyses of human samples suggest immune cells influence artery aging, but focusing on CD8+ cells and Eomes as drivers is a newer, less-tested direction.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Arlington
Arlington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Trott, Daniel — University of Texas Arlington
- Study coordinator: Trott, Daniel
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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.