How combined low oxygen conditions worsen heart and blood vessel disease
Official title: Mechanisms of miR-210-induced cardiometabolic injury in combined sustained and intermittent hypoxia
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11434926 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a mix of chronic and intermittent low oxygen levels harms the heart and metabolism in people with lung disease-related conditions, using mice to uncover clues that could help patients in the future.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $667,990 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL188314-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11434926 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with chronic lung disease and sleep-disordered breathing, or future trials extending these findings to humans.
✕Less likely to help
Current patients without lung disease or sleep apnea may not benefit from these mechanistic mouse studies.
What this research studies
People with lung diseases like COPD or interstitial lung disease who also have sleep apnea experience worse heart and metabolic problems due to ongoing and intermittent low oxygen. The study uses a mouse model that mimics combined sustained hypoxia and sleep apnea-like events to uncover how this “overlap hypoxia” drives high blood pressure, liver stress, bad cholesterol, and autonomic changes. Researchers will examine molecular pathways, blood markers, and liver cell behavior under these conditions to identify potential targets for therapy. Although this work is preclinical, its findings may guide future trials aimed at improving outcomes for patients with complex hypoxemia. This project aligns with the ASCVD concern by exploring mechanisms that could worsen cardiovascular risk in affected patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could lead to new strategies to reduce heart and metabolic complications in patients with overlapping hypoxemia conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that hypoxia-related pathways affect cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes, supporting potential translational value, though this exact overlap hypoxia model is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mesarwi, Omar — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Mesarwi, Omar
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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.