How the calpain protein causes blood-vessel leaks in severe lung injury
Official title: Calpain-mediated lung endothelial barrier modulation in acute lung injury
Funded at Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center · NIH-11109631 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether blocking calpain can prevent blood-vessel leakage in people with acute lung injury or ARDS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Augusta, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005350-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11109631 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with acute lung injury or ARDS—especially cases tied to Gram-negative bacterial sepsis—would be the most relevant group for future therapies based on this work.
✕Less likely to help
People with mild or chronic stable lung disease not driven by acute endothelial barrier failure are unlikely to directly benefit from this calpain-focused research.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how bacterial toxins (like LPS) trigger a protein called calpain in lung blood-vessel cells and how that leads to cells pulling apart and fluid leaking into the lungs. They will use human lung microvascular cells and laboratory models to track steps like talin cleavage, RhoA activation, and changes in myosin light chain that weaken the vessel barrier. The team will test whether specific calpain inhibitors stop these molecular changes and reduce lung edema in experimental models. If the molecular pathway is confirmed, it could point to drug targets to protect the lung’s blood vessels during severe infection-related injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that reduce pulmonary edema and improve outcomes for people with ALI/ARDS.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory and animal studies have shown that calpain inhibitors can reduce LPS-induced barrier disruption and lung edema, but this approach has not yet been proven in human clinical trials.
Where this research is happening
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Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center
Augusta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Su, Yunchao — Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Su, Yunchao
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.