How Factor XIIa may trigger renin in heart failure

Factor XIIa is the long-sought activator of circulating renin in heart failure.

NIH-funded research University of Arizona · NIH-11110479

This project tests whether a blood-clotting enzyme called Factor XIIa turns on renin in people with heart failure whose hearts pump less strongly.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Arizona NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Tucson, United States)
Project IDNIH-11110479 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

From my point of view as a patient, the team is trying to find out if Factor XIIa causes the hormone renin to become active in the bloodstream, which can worsen heart failure. They will study the enzyme and its effects in the lab, measure renin and related biomarkers in blood samples, and use animal models of dilated cardiomyopathy to see how FXIIa influences disease. The researchers will also try molecular interventions that block FXIIa to observe whether that prevents renin activation and heart damage. Together these steps aim to connect a blood-clotting protein to the hormone system that drives fluid retention and heart weakening.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, especially those with dilated cardiomyopathy or evidence of elevated renin activity.

Not a fit: People without heart failure (or with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction) or those whose condition is driven by non-RAAS causes may not benefit from this work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If true, this could point to new treatments that block Factor XIIa or its effect on renin to slow or prevent worsening of heart failure.

How similar studies have performed: This is a novel biological link building on recent lab findings about FXIIa and renin activation, so it is early-stage and has not yet been proven in humans.

Where this research is happening

Tucson, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.