Nanoparticle treatment to help prevent rejection of donated hearts
Using trained immunity-inhibiting nanobiologics to achieve tolerance of heart allografts in non-human primates
Tiny particles are being used to calm overactive innate immune cells so donated hearts may be accepted more easily by transplant recipients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11322166 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The research group found that adding a donor kidney helped the body accept a transplanted heart in monkeys, but giving patients an extra kidney is not a practical option. They are developing engineered nanobiologics designed to block 'trained immunity' in macrophages, the innate immune cells that drive inflammation in the graft. In non-human primate heart transplant models these nanobiologics are combined with a temporary bone-marrow-based protocol and immune-modulating steps to try to reproduce the kidney's protective effect. The goal is to prevent rejection of fully mismatched donor hearts without requiring lifelong, high-dose immunosuppression.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who are candidates for or have recently received a heart transplant would be the primary group who could benefit from related future clinical trials.
Not a fit: Individuals who do not need a heart transplant or who have conditions that preclude participation in transplant-related research are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower rejection rates and reduce the need for long-term immunosuppressive drugs after heart transplant.
How similar studies have performed: Related protocols combining transient mixed chimerism and donor kidney co-transplantation have produced tolerance for kidney grafts (including in some human cases), but using nanobiologics as a kidney substitute for heart tolerance is a novel approach being tested in monkeys.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Madsen, Joren C — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Madsen, Joren 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.