Macrophages in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)
Investigating the Role of Macrophages in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · NIH-11166620
This work looks at whether immune cells called macrophages cause scarring and stiffness in people with HFpEF.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11166620 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will use two animal models that mimic HFpEF — mice with high blood pressure and high-fat diet and obese ZSF1 rats — to reproduce the heart changes seen in patients. They will measure heart function with imaging, count and profile macrophages in the heart, and study how those immune cells influence fibroblasts that make scar tissue. At the cellular and molecular level they will test how macrophages change fibroblast behavior, extracellular matrix genes, and complement signaling. The team will connect these findings to heart stiffness and function to point to pathways for future therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults diagnosed with HFpEF — often those with obesity, diabetes, or high blood pressure — would be the patients most likely to benefit from treatments based on this research.
Not a fit: People whose heart failure is due to reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) or those without cardiac fibrosis are less likely to benefit from findings specific to HFpEF.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets to reduce heart scarring and improve symptoms in people with HFpEF.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier animal studies and pilot data have found increased inflammation and fibrosis in HFpEF hearts, but translating these findings into effective human treatments remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH — PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: NATARAJAN, NIRANJANA — UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- Study coordinator: NATARAJAN, NIRANJANA
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.