Nutrient signals help macrophages clear dead cells to calm inflammation in artery disease
Official title: Nutrient Sensing of Apoptotic Cells by Macrophages Resolves Inflammation, Drives Atherosclerosis Regression, and Promotes Features of Plaque Instability
Funded at Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport · NIH-11391151 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how macrophages eat dead cells in arteries and how that process could slow or stabilize dangerous artery plaques in ASCVD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Shreveport, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $634,982 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL180481-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391151 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include adults with or at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who may benefit from therapies targeting macrophage efferocytosis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions outside ASCVD or those unable to participate in basic science studies related to macrophage biology may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how macrophages sense nutrients from consumed dead cells and use that information to clear more dead cells in a row, which may calm inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques. They will look at how the mTORC1 nutrient-sensing pathway affects continual efferocytosis and plaque stability. The work combines cellular experiments and animal models to identify potential therapeutic targets that could stabilize plaques and reduce heart attack or stroke risk. If successful, new approaches could complement existing ASCVD treatments by improving how the immune system resolves vascular inflammation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to new therapies that promote plaque stability and reduce heart attack or stroke risk in ASCVD patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that effective clearance of dead cells by macrophages influences inflammation and plaque progression, supporting the potential of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport
Shreveport, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yurdagul, Arif — Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport
- Study coordinator: Yurdagul, Arif
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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.