How cell receptors inside cells drive blood vessel inflammation
Cell signaling by G protein-coupled receptors
Researchers are looking at whether signals from certain cell receptors that keep working inside cells cause inflammation in blood vessels and could affect people with vascular disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307154 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You can think of this work as scientists tracing how G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) keep sending signals after they are pulled into the cell and how those signals trigger inflammation in blood vessels. The lab will focus on how adding or removing ubiquitin tags controls GPCR-triggered p38 signaling from endosomes and how two specific deubiquitinase enzymes act in this process. They will use cellular experiments and animal models to find the key protein targets and to test how changing these steps affects vascular inflammation. Findings aim to clarify the molecular steps that might be targeted by future drugs to reduce harmful blood vessel inflammation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with vascular inflammatory conditions or at higher risk for cardiovascular disease would be the most relevant patient group for future therapies arising from this work.
Not a fit: People without blood-vessel or cardiovascular inflammation or those with unrelated conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new drug targets that reduce vascular inflammation and related cardiovascular disease.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have shown that GPCRs can signal from inside cells and that ubiquitination affects signaling, but turning these findings into therapies is still at an early stage.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Trejo, Joann — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Trejo, Joann
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.