Pericytes' role in small blood-vessel changes in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Official title: Pericyte contribution to capillary remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11247521 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether malfunctioning pericytes — the cells that support tiny lung blood vessels — drive harmful vessel remodeling in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $778,837 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL171405-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11247521 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, especially those able to donate lung tissue at transplant or provide blood for iPSC-based studies, would be ideal candidates to contribute samples.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose pulmonary hypertension is caused by left-heart disease, chronic lung disease, or other non-pericyte mechanisms may not directly benefit from findings focused on pericyte-driven capillary remodeling.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers will compare pericytes taken from people with idiopathic PAH and from experimental animal models to see how these cells behave. They will grow patient-derived iPSCs into small vascular organoids to mimic capillary development and use single-cell RNA sequencing to find genes that are different in PAH pericytes, including RGS5. The team will also use genetic tools like CRISPR in cells and animals to test whether changing those genes alters capillary remodeling. These combined approaches aim to link patient samples, lab-grown mini-vessels, and animal data to understand pericyte-driven changes in the lungs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal targets to stop or reverse small-vessel damage in PAH and help develop therapies that slow disease progression and protect the right heart.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and human cell work indicates pericyte loss can promote vascular remodeling, but targeting pericytes in PAH is a relatively new and exploratory approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yuan, Ke — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Yuan, Ke
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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.