How heart-cell lysosomes might cause dangerous heart rhythms
Lysosomes and arrhythmia
Researchers are looking at whether tiny cell compartments called lysosomes in heart cells cause dangerous abnormal heart rhythms in people with cardiomyopathy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258018 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project studies how lysosomes in heart muscle cells store and release calcium and how that may trigger abnormal electrical activity that leads to ventricular arrhythmias. The team will use lab models of cardiomyopathy and cellular measurements of calcium and membrane voltage to see how lysosome–sarcoplasmic reticulum and lysosome–mitochondria interactions affect heart cell electrical behavior. They will test whether blocking lysosomal calcium release or its downstream effects reduces action potential prolongation and triggered activity. Results will be used to identify possible targets for drugs to lower arrhythmic risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cardiomyopathy or a history of ventricular arrhythmias would be the most likely to benefit from therapies developed from this research.
Not a fit: People without heart muscle disease or with arrhythmias unrelated to ventricular calcium handling (for example isolated supraventricular arrhythmias) are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent dangerous ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in people with cardiomyopathy.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies showed mitochondrial calcium handling can drive arrhythmia and that blocking mitochondrial Ca2+ influx reduced arrhythmias in models, while the role of lysosomes in this process is a newer concept with limited direct testing.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dudley, Samuel C — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Dudley, Samuel C
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.