Muscle weakness from high carbon dioxide in COPD
Official title: Metabolic regulation of hypercapnic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-driven skeletal muscle dysfunction
Funded at Albany Medical College · NIH-11235891 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looks at whether boosting muscle energy production helps people with COPD who retain too much carbon dioxide.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albany Medical College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albany, United States) |
| Project start | December 15, 2021 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $528,616 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL160661-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11235891 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with COPD who retain CO2 (chronic hypercapnia) and who have muscle weakness or trouble with daily activities from fatigue.
✕Less likely to help
People without CO2 retention or whose muscle problems come from other causes (for example primary neuromuscular diseases) are less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
You will see work focused on why people with COPD who retain CO2 often develop weak, easily tired leg muscles. The team thinks a drop in a key mitochondrial protein (SDHC) reduces ATP and makes muscles more fatigable, and that CO2 alters a signaling pathway (LKB1-AMPK) that controls making new mitochondria. To study this, researchers will use a COPD animal model and lab tests of muscle metabolism and protein levels to trace these changes. The goal is to find biological targets that could be used to prevent or reverse muscle weakness in affected patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could point to treatments that improve muscle strength, reduce fatigue, and possibly improve survival and quality of life for people with CO2-retaining COPD.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked mitochondrial problems to COPD-related muscle weakness, but directly targeting SDHC and the LKB1-AMPK pathway is a newer approach without proven patient treatments yet.
Where this research is happening
-
Albany Medical College
Albany, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jaitovich, Adolfo Ariel — Albany Medical College
- Study coordinator: Jaitovich, Adolfo Ariel
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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.