How some antipsychotic medicines may raise heart disease risk through PXR
Role of PXR in drug-elicited cardiovascular disease
Looking at whether certain antipsychotic drugs that activate the PXR protein lead to worse cholesterol and artery disease in people taking these medicines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Riverside NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Riverside, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11235175 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project follows lab studies that link atypical antipsychotics (like quetiapine) to higher blood fats and atherosclerosis through activation of the liver/intestine protein PXR. The researchers use specially designed mice, including PXR-humanized animals and intestine-specific PXR knockout mice, to see how PXR in the gut and lymphatic system alters dietary fat absorption and transport. By comparing responses with and without PXR in specific tissues, they aim to pinpoint how these drugs cause dyslipidemia and promote artery plaque. The team’s findings could point to ways to prevent or reduce heart risk in people on long-term antipsychotic therapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People currently taking atypical antipsychotics (for example quetiapine) who are concerned about high cholesterol or cardiovascular risk would be the most directly relevant group.
Not a fit: People not taking antipsychotic drugs or whose heart disease is driven entirely by unrelated causes may not benefit from findings tied specifically to PXR-mediated drug effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal targets or strategies to lower cholesterol and heart disease risk for people taking certain antipsychotic medications.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies have shown that PXR-activating drugs can increase lipids and atherosclerosis, but translating these findings to humans and pinpointing intestinal PXR’s role is a newer, less-tested direction.
Where this research is happening
Riverside, United States
- University of California Riverside — Riverside, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhou, Changcheng — University of California Riverside
- Study coordinator: Zhou, Changcheng
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.