How COVID-19 may worsen artery plaque and heart complications
Mechanisms of atherosclerotic cardiovascular complications
['FUNDING_R01'] · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · NIH-11171471
This work looks at whether pieces of the SARS‑CoV‑2 virus remain in artery plaques and make heart attacks or strokes more likely in people who had COVID‑19.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11171471 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This work examines artery plaque samples taken from people who died with or recovered from COVID‑19 and looks for viral material inside the plaques. Researchers use single‑cell RNA sequencing to find which plaque cells—like macrophages and foam cells—carry virus receptors such as NRP1. They treat human vascular tissue outside the body and test whether blocking NRP1 reduces viral accumulation and inflammation, and they use a hamster model that mimics human infection to study effects on the heart and vessels. The goal is to link viral persistence in plaques to worsening inflammation and a higher risk of acute cardiovascular events.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation or tissue donation are people with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, individuals who have recovered from COVID‑19, or patients undergoing vascular surgery who can consent to donate plaque tissue for research.
Not a fit: People without atherosclerotic disease or those who never had COVID‑19 are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to ways to lower post‑COVID heart attacks and strokes by removing viral material from plaques or blocking the receptor that helps it enter plaque cells.
How similar studies have performed: Autopsy and clinical reports have reported viral material in cardiovascular tissue and higher post‑COVID cardiac risk, but targeting NRP1 in plaques is a relatively new approach with limited prior clinical testing.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: GIANNARELLI, CHIARA — NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- Study coordinator: GIANNARELLI, CHIARA
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.