Lactate and LDHA in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Official title: LDHA-lactate signaling in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Funded at University of California at Davis · NIH-11235916 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how excess lactate made by artery cells may drive thickening of lung blood vessels in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $640,373 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL172488-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11235916 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension, especially those willing to provide tissue or blood samples or to participate in future clinical studies, would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with other types of pulmonary hypertension related to left heart disease or lung disease, or those without PAH, are unlikely to benefit directly from this lab-focused project.
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, the researchers are studying cells from the small arteries in the lungs to see how the enzyme LDHA causes extra lactate production and harmful chemical changes inside those cells. They will examine how lactate-driven changes (like altered proteins and DNA modification) make artery muscle and support cells multiply and resist cell death. The team will use cell experiments, molecular analyses, and likely lab models to test whether blocking LDHA or lactate signaling reverses those changes. The goal is to find molecular targets that could be tested later in treatments for PAH.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new drug targets that slow or reverse artery remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension.
How similar studies have gone: Related work in cancer and early PAH research has linked LDHA and lactate to cell growth, but targeting lactate signaling for PAH is still a new and experimental approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California at Davis
Davis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goncharova, Elena — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Goncharova, Elena
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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.