How tiny structures inside heart cells affect heart relaxation
Cardiac microtubules as regulators of diastolic function.
This research looks at whether tiny structures inside heart muscle cells called microtubules make the heart stiffer and harder to relax in people with diastolic heart disease and high blood pressure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Vermont & St Agric College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Burlington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11229785 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will examine heart tissue to see how microtubules, part of the cells' internal skeleton, change the heart's stiffness and ability to relax. They will separate the effects of individual heart muscle cells from scar tissue and test the roles of actomyosin, the protein titin, and the microtubule network in cell mechanics. The team will use intact heart muscle preparations and working myocardial slice setups that mimic a beating, loaded heart to study which phases of relaxation are affected. Comparisons will be made between tissue affected by high blood pressure and diastolic heart disease to link lab findings to clinical heart stiffness.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with diastolic heart disease (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction) or those with heart stiffness linked to long-standing high blood pressure.
Not a fit: Patients whose heart problems are driven by weak pumping (reduced ejection fraction) or by causes unrelated to stiffness are less likely to benefit from findings focused on relaxation and stiffness.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to reduce heart stiffness and improve relaxation, potentially leading to treatments for diastolic heart disease.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory work has shown microtubules can stiffen failing heart cells, but translating those findings into human therapies remains early and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Burlington, United States
- University of Vermont & St Agric College — Burlington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Caporizzo, Matthew — University of Vermont & St Agric College
- Study coordinator: Caporizzo, Matthew
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.