Nitric oxide's role in controlling eye pressure in glaucoma
eNOS-Dependent Mechanoregulation of Intraocular Pressure
This work looks at how nitric oxide made by the eye's drainage cells helps keep pressure inside the eye normal for people with glaucoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11138647 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have glaucoma or high eye pressure, this research examines how cells in the eye's drainage channel respond to fluid forces by making nitric oxide, a molecule that can quickly lower pressure. The team studies Schlemm's canal cells and trabecular meshwork using lab tests, pressure/flow experiments, and tissue samples to see how mechanical forces trigger nitric oxide release. They contrast this fast nitric-oxide response with slower tissue remodeling that happens over days to understand how the eye maintains pressure. The goal is to identify ways to support the eye's natural pressure control mechanisms.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with ocular hypertension or primary open-angle glaucoma, or patients undergoing eye surgery who can donate tissue or participate in sample-based studies.
Not a fit: People with angle-closure glaucoma caused by an anatomically blocked drainage angle or those with advanced, irreversible vision loss may not directly benefit from this mechanistic work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new treatments that lower eye pressure by enhancing nitric oxide signaling in the eye's drainage pathway.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory and clinical work has shown nitric oxide can lower outflow resistance and NO-donating eye drops have reduced intraocular pressure, so this builds on promising findings.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stamer, W Daniel — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Stamer, W Daniel
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.