How heart attacks and oxidative stress damage the heart's calcium release channel
New mechanisms of cardiac ryanodine receptor dysfunction during oxidative stress: the role of intersubunit cross-linking
['FUNDING_R01'] · LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO · NIH-11264827
Researchers will see if specific chemical bonds form between parts of the heart's calcium release channel during oxidative damage from a heart attack and cause calcium imbalance that leads to poor heart contractions and arrhythmias.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (MAYWOOD, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11264827 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project uses a specially engineered mouse model that carries a human-like change in the heart's ryanodine receptor protein. Scientists will expose heart tissue to oxidative stress and mimic heart attacks to observe whether disulfide bonds form between receptor subunits and how that changes calcium release. They will measure heart cell calcium handling and electrical activity, identify the precise cysteine sites involved in intersubunit cross-linking, and test whether preventing those links restores normal function. Results will guide whether drugs or other therapies that block this cross-linking might help people after myocardial infarction.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have had a myocardial infarction or who are at high risk for ischemic heart disease would be the most relevant group for future therapies arising from this work.
Not a fit: Patients with heart problems unrelated to ischemia-driven ryanodine receptor dysfunction or those seeking immediate clinical treatments will not directly benefit from this basic research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If confirmed, this could identify new targets for therapies to prevent calcium imbalance, reduce arrhythmias, and improve recovery after heart attacks.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory work supports the idea that oxidative cross-linking can activate the ryanodine receptor, but translating this mechanism into patient treatments is still novel and unproven.
Where this research is happening
MAYWOOD, UNITED STATES
- LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO — MAYWOOD, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ZIMA, ALEKSEY V — LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
- Study coordinator: ZIMA, ALEKSEY V
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.
Conditions: Cardiac Diseases, Cardiac Disorders, Cellular injury