How obscurin‑Kin1 and N‑cadherin affect heart muscle structure and function
Obscurin-kinase 1/N-cadherin: a new signaling axis in cardiac structure/function
Learning whether a heart protein called obscurin‑Kin1 changes how heart cells stick together and talk to each other, which could matter for people with cardiomyopathy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11396698 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research looks at a large heart protein called obscurin and one of its kinase parts, Kin1, to see how it changes another protein, N‑cadherin, that helps heart cells join at the intercalated disc. The team performs lab experiments and biochemical tests to see whether Kin1 adds phosphate tags to N‑cadherin and how that affects cell adhesion and electrical coupling. They study these molecular steps because changes could weaken how heart muscle cells work together and lead to cardiomyopathy. Understanding this signaling pathway may point to new ways to diagnose or eventually treat some inherited or acquired heart muscle diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with inherited or unexplained cardiomyopathies—especially those known to carry OBSCN gene changes—or individuals willing to donate blood or tissue samples would be most relevant.
Not a fit: People without heart muscle disease or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If confirmed, the findings could identify a new molecular target for diagnosing or developing treatments for some types of cardiomyopathy.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory work from the group showed obscurin kinases are enzymatically active and can modify N‑cadherin, but applying this pathway to patient care is still novel and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- University of Maryland Baltimore — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos, Aikaterini — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos, Aikaterini
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.