Pericyte laminin and brain blood‑vessel health in Alzheimer's
The roles of pericyte-derived laminin in neurovascular function and neurodegeneration
This project looks at whether a protein made by blood‑vessel support cells helps protect the brain's blood vessels and nerve cells in people with Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11161561 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are studying a protein called laminin that is made by pericytes, the cells that wrap small brain blood vessels. They will test how loss of this protein affects the blood‑brain barrier, blood flow, and neuron survival using imaging (including two‑photon microscopy), tracer tests, and molecular lab studies. The team will also look for the receptors on vessel cells that respond to pericyte laminin and study changes in transport across the vessel wall. The goal is to find whether the basement membrane around brain vessels can be targeted to protect the brain in Alzheimer's.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, and those at higher risk, would be the kinds of patients who could benefit from future treatments that come out of this work.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to Alzheimer's or whose dementia is driven by mechanisms not involving blood‑brain barrier or vascular support cells may not see direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new ways to protect blood vessels and slow neuron loss in Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and laboratory studies have linked pericyte loss and basement membrane changes to blood‑brain barrier breakdown in Alzheimer's, but targeting pericyte‑derived laminin is a newer and still largely experimental approach.
Where this research is happening
Tampa, United States
- University of South Florida — Tampa, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yao, Yao — University of South Florida
- Study coordinator: Yao, Yao
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.