How the protein Arrdc4 may link high blood sugar to heart damage in diabetes
Official title: Hyperglycemia-induced regulatory mechanism of ER stress by arresting domain-containing protein 4 in diabetic cardiomyopathy
Funded at City College of New York · NIH-11252891 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at whether a protein called Arrdc4 causes stress in heart cells when blood sugar is high and so helps explain heart damage in adults with diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | City College of New York NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | January 15, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $392,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL168191-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11252891 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
If translated to humans, ideal candidates would be adults with type 2 diabetes who have or are at risk for diabetic cardiomyopathy.
✕Less likely to help
People without diabetes or whose heart problems are due to non-diabetic causes are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
This project examines how high blood sugar affects a protein named Arrdc4 and how that leads to stress and damage in heart muscle cells. Researchers will use laboratory heart cells and genetically modified mice that lack Arrdc4 to see how the protein changes glucose uptake, triggers the unfolded protein response, and contributes to heart dysfunction in diabetes. They will measure glucose transport, cell survival, and stress pathway activation to connect Arrdc4 activity with diabetic cardiomyopathy. Findings may point to new strategies to protect the hearts of people with diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify Arrdc4 as a new target to prevent or reduce diabetes-related heart damage.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked ER stress to diabetes-related heart injury, but targeting Arrdc4 is a novel and largely untested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
City College of New York
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yoshioka, Jun — City College of New York
- Study coordinator: Yoshioka, Jun
Related research
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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.