How everyday environmental chemicals may worsen artery plaque
Role of PXR in EDC-induced cardiovascular disease
This work explores whether exposure to common endocrine-disrupting chemicals makes artery plaque and cholesterol worse in adults at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Riverside NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Riverside, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309139 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your point of view, the team is trying to understand how certain everyday chemicals (called endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs) interact with a protein in the body called PXR that helps control fat and cholesterol. They run lab experiments and use mouse models to see how EDCs change lipid levels and speed up plaque buildup in arteries. The researchers compare those lab findings with available human data and may use human samples or data to link the lab results to people. Ultimately they want to map the gene–chemical interactions that could explain why some people get worse atherosclerosis after chemical exposure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults age 21 and older with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or who are at high risk for ASCVD are the most relevant group for this research.
Not a fit: Children, people with non-atherosclerotic heart conditions, or those with no meaningful exposure to the studied environmental chemicals are unlikely to see direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to reduce chemical-driven cholesterol problems or plaque formation and identify people most at risk from environmental exposures.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies, including work from this team, have shown that some EDCs acting through PXR increase atherosclerosis, but confirmation in humans remains limited.
Where this research is happening
Riverside, United States
- University of California Riverside — Riverside, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhou, Changcheng — University of California Riverside
- Study coordinator: Zhou, Changcheng
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.