How the protein RHOE may control scarring in the heart after a heart attack
Official title: Novel Insights into the Mechanistic Role of Small Rho GTPase in Chronic Cardiac Fibrotic Remodeling
Funded at Augusta University · NIH-11473137 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether increasing a protein called RHOE in heart fibroblasts can reduce harmful scarring after a heart attack.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Augusta University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Augusta, United States) |
| Project start | March 6, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $505,210 |
| NIH project number | 7R01HL176744-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11473137 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who recently had a myocardial infarction (heart attack) or who have heart failure with evidence of cardiac scarring would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
People with heart conditions not driven by post-injury fibrosis or those with very advanced, irreversible heart damage are less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers found that the small protein RHOE is reduced in heart cells from people with heart failure by mining public single-cell RNA datasets. They will study how RHOE controls fibroblast behavior after a heart attack using lab experiments, human-derived cell data, and animal models of myocardial infarction. The team plans to activate RHOE earlier in the healing process to see whether that limits long-term scarring and adverse remodeling. Findings could point to new approaches to prevent chronic fibrosis that leads to worsening heart function.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to therapies that limit harmful heart scarring after a heart attack and help preserve heart function.
How similar studies have gone: Some preclinical studies targeting fibroblast signaling have reduced scarring in animal models, but targeting RHOE is a novel approach not yet tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
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Augusta University
Augusta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Luo, Weijia — Augusta University
- Study coordinator: Luo, Weijia
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.