How the brain peptide nociceptin affects heart and kidney function in heart failure
Official title: CNS sites involved in the cardiovascular and renal effects of nociceptin in rats with heart failure
Funded at University of the Incarnate Word · NIH-11158765 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether a brain chemical called nociceptin changes heart and kidney function in heart failure, which could point to new treatment ideas for people with the condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of the Incarnate Word NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $119,498 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM145433-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11158765 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with chronic heart failure who have problems controlling blood pressure or retaining fluid would be the likely candidates for any future human studies based on this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without heart failure or whose symptoms come from non-cardiac causes are unlikely to benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
From a patient's view, researchers are using rats with heart failure to learn how nociceptin acting in the brain changes blood pressure, heart rate, and how the kidneys handle water and salt. They stimulate the ORL1 receptor in the central nervous system and measure cardiovascular responses and urine output, including sodium and potassium levels. Earlier animal work showed nociceptin can slow the heart, lower blood pressure, and cause water diuresis without losing potassium, and this project examines those effects specifically in heart failure. The goal is to understand whether the nociceptin/ORL1 system might be a target for better control of fluid balance or blood pressure in people with failing hearts.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to control blood pressure and fluid retention in heart failure by targeting the nociceptin/ORL1 system.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have shown nociceptin/ORL1 activation can alter heart rate, lower blood pressure, and increase urine flow without sodium or potassium loss, but its role in heart failure remains largely untested in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gottlieb, Helmut B — University of the Incarnate Word
- Study coordinator: Gottlieb, Helmut B
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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.