How warm conditions change artery-surrounding fat and worsen vessel function
Delineating Mechanisms of Impaired Vasoreactivity in Thermoneutrality
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · VA EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · NIH-11130934
This work looks at whether warmer living conditions cause the fat around arteries to change and make blood vessels less able to widen, which could matter for people at risk of heart and blood vessel disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VA EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11130934 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers are using rats kept at room temperature or at thermoneutral (warmer) conditions to see how the fat that surrounds arteries (perivascular adipose tissue, PVAT) changes and affects vessel tightening and widening. They test artery function outside the body and swap PVAT between animals to see whether healthy PVAT can restore proper vessel dilation. The team measures blood pressure, compares males and females, and examines molecular changes in PVAT that may explain the loss of normal vessel responses. Findings aim to reveal early mechanisms that lead to high blood pressure and vascular dysfunction.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with early signs of blood-vessel dysfunction or rising blood pressure, especially adults at risk for cardiovascular disease (including women, who showed changes in the animal model).
Not a fit: Patients with advanced or established cardiovascular disease driven by causes other than perivascular fat changes may not directly benefit from this preclinical work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to protect or restore healthy vessel function by targeting the fat around arteries, potentially preventing early high blood pressure and vascular disease.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies have shown that perivascular fat influences vessel function and preliminary lab work suggests modifying PVAT can restore dilation, but clinical testing in people is still lacking.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- VA EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM — Aurora, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KELLER, AMY CELESTE — VA EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
- Study coordinator: KELLER, AMY CELESTE
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.