How the protein CHFR affects lung blood vessel leaks and lung inflammation
E3 Ubiquitin Ligase CHFR Regulates Lung Endothelial Barrier Integrity and Innate Immunity through Control of VE-cadherin Expression
This project aims to show how the protein CHFR controls leakiness of lung blood vessels and immune activity that can drive ARDS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167452 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or a loved one has ARDS, this work is trying to understand a protein called CHFR that helps control whether the blood vessels in the lung become leaky and allow damaging fluid and immune cells into lung tissue. Researchers will use human lung endothelial cells in the lab and specially engineered mice to see how CHFR changes levels of VE-cadherin (a molecule that seals vessel junctions), the inflammatory factor angiopoietin-2, and related signaling proteins. They will study how CHFR tags VE-cadherin and AKT1 for degradation and how that affects barrier breakdown and immune cell behavior, including how neutrophils handle bacteria like Pseudomonas. The goal is to find molecular steps that could be targeted later to prevent or treat lung leak and inflammation in ARDS.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with or at high risk for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or acute lung injury are the population most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: People without lung endothelial injury, children, or those with unrelated chronic conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic science project in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new molecular targets to keep lung blood vessels sealed and reduce inflammation in ARDS, which may lead to future treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked VE-cadherin loss and angiopoietin-2 to ARDS, but targeting CHFR itself is a newer, mechanistic approach that is still untested in patients.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, UNITED STATES
- University of Illinois at Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Malik, Asrar B. — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Malik, Asrar B.
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.