How the right side of the heart works in health and long-term lung or heart disease
Right Heart Function in Health and Chronic Disease
Seeing if stimulating a specific heart receptor can improve right-sided heart function for people with pulmonary hypertension or right heart failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11213975 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use animal models that mimic pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure and give a drug that specifically activates the α1A-adrenergic receptor for a period of weeks. They measure right heart pumping, energy production in heart cells (mitochondrial function), and levels of ATP that fuel contraction. The team also tests effects on human engineered heart tissue grown in the lab to see if the drug improves mitochondrial activity and contraction in human-derived tissue. Findings aim to link receptor activation to restored energy function and improved right-heart performance, guiding future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with pulmonary hypertension or right ventricular failure, including some patients with COPD-related or heart-related right-sided heart dysfunction, would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People whose problems are mainly left-sided heart failure or unrelated conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from findings focused on right ventricular dysfunction.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to new treatments that boost right ventricular energy and function, helping people with pulmonary hypertension or right-sided heart failure breathe better and avoid hospital stays.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies from this group and others have shown promising reversal of right ventricular failure and improved mitochondrial function with α1A agonists, while work in human tissue is more limited and translational.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baker, Anthony J. — Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Baker, Anthony J.
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.