How mitochondrial DNA drives inflammation after sudden cardiac arrest
Official title: The Role of Mitochondrial DNA in Innate Immune Activation after Sudden CardiacArrest
Funded at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center · NIH-11131044 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether damaged mitochondrial DNA causes inflammation that harms adults who survive sudden cardiac arrest.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2BX005785-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11131044 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) who survive sudden cardiac arrest and receive hospital care, particularly veterans treated at VA hospitals, would be the most likely candidates for related future studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of sudden cardiac arrest, children, or those whose heart problems are due to unrelated causes are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
This team will examine heart and blood samples alongside lab and animal experiments to see how mitochondrial DNA released after cardiac arrest triggers inflammation. In the lab they will use cells and microscopy to track how mitochondrial DNA leaves damaged cells, and in mice they will test whether boosting a protective protein called TFAM preserves mitochondrial DNA and heart function. They will study the cGAS/STING immune pathway to understand the signaling that turns mitochondrial DNA into an inflammatory response. Findings from animals and lab work will be compared to human tissue or blood to connect the biology to people who survive cardiac arrest.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that limit harmful inflammation and improve heart recovery after sudden cardiac arrest.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory and animal studies, including preliminary mouse work showing TFAM protection, suggest this approach can help heart function, but it has not yet been tested in people.
Where this research is happening
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Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rutledge, Cody Andrew — Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Rutledge, Cody Andrew
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.