How cells control heme and its protective products carbon monoxide and bilirubin
Heme-, Redox-, and CO-dependent Regulation of Heme Homeostasis
This project looks at how your cells manage heme and make protective molecules like carbon monoxide and bilirubin to help protect the heart, kidneys, and brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326338 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team at the University of Michigan will study the proteins HO1, HO2, and Rev-Erbβ to see how they bind, store, and break down heme inside cells. They will examine specific heme-responsive motifs and redox switches that control whether heme is sequestered, degraded, or used to produce signaling molecules. Laboratory cell and biochemical experiments will track heme binding, lysosomal degradation of HO2 under low-heme conditions, and how those processes affect production of carbon monoxide and biliverdin/bilirubin. The goal is to understand cellular protective mechanisms that could inform ways to prevent tissue damage from heme- or iron-driven oxidative stress in cardiovascular, renal, and nervous system diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People affected by disorders linked to excess heme or disrupted heme metabolism—such as some hemolytic conditions, cardiovascular disease with heme-driven oxidative stress, or related kidney and neurological disorders—would be the most relevant candidates for future clinical follow-up.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions are unrelated to heme or iron-driven oxidative stress are unlikely to see direct benefits in the near term from this basic science work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new strategies to reduce tissue damage in heart, kidney, and brain diseases by restoring healthy heme handling or enhancing protective CO/bilirubin signaling.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory studies support roles for HO enzymes and Rev-Erb proteins in heme signaling and cytoprotection, but the detailed regulatory mechanisms targeted here remain novel and not yet translated into therapies.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ragsdale, Stephen Wiley — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Ragsdale, Stephen Wiley
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.