Low oxygen and extra lactate drive lung cells to cause scarring
Hypoxia-induced aberrant lactate generation and shuttling serves as a direct signal to promote pro-fibrotic fibroblast phenotypes
This research looks at how low oxygen and increased lactate make lung fibroblasts promote scarring in people with pulmonary fibrosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11264946 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study how low oxygen (hypoxia) and higher lactate levels change fibroblasts—the cells that create scar tissue—in lungs affected by pulmonary fibrosis. They will use lung tissue from people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and experimental mouse models to follow changes in key enzymes (such as LDHA and LDHB) and lactate movement between cells. The team will test whether blocking lactate production or its signaling can reverse the scarring behaviors seen in patient-derived cells and in mice. The goal is to find molecular targets that could lead to treatments that limit or reverse lung scarring.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or other progressive fibrotic lung diseases who can provide tissue samples or clinical data would be the ideal candidates for participation or sample donation.
Not a fit: People without fibrotic lung disease or those seeking an immediate treatment are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this basic/translational research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new targets for therapies that reduce or prevent lung scarring in pulmonary fibrosis.
How similar studies have performed: Previous experiments in mice have shown that blocking lactate production can reduce lung fibrosis, but translating these findings into proven human treatments remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
Columbus, UNITED STATES
- Ohio State University — Columbus, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Horowitz, Jeffrey C — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Horowitz, Jeffrey C
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.