Platelet and lung vessel cell metabolism in scleroderma-related pulmonary hypertension
Official title: A platelet-fibroblast axis connecting bioenergetics and metabolism in SSc-pulmonary arterial hypertension
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11193267 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether energy changes in platelets signal lung vessel cells to change glutamine use and worsen pulmonary hypertension in people with systemic sclerosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $234,488 |
| NIH project number | 5P50AR080612-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11193267 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with systemic sclerosis who also have pulmonary arterial hypertension and who can provide blood samples and attend clinical visits are the best candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without systemic sclerosis or without pulmonary arterial hypertension, or those unable to provide blood samples or travel to the study site, are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
If you have systemic sclerosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension (SSc-PAH), this project studies blood platelets and lung vessel fibroblasts to understand how their energy use and glutamine metabolism might drive blood vessel stiffening. Researchers will compare platelet mitochondrial function from patients with different severities of vascular disease and test how patient platelets influence glutamine use and collagen production in pulmonary fibroblasts. They will also explore whether imaging or blood-based measures of fibroblast glutamine uptake can serve as new diagnostic tools. The team aims to connect lab findings with patient samples to guide future tests or treatments that target platelet–fibroblast communication in SSc-PAH.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to blood tests or imaging methods that detect early metabolic changes and to new therapies that reduce vessel stiffness in SSc-PAH.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work linking YAP/TAZ and glutaminase to vascular stiffness provides supporting preclinical evidence, but applying this to platelet–fibroblast signaling and diagnostics in SSc-PAH is a novel direction.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chan, Stephen Y — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Chan, Stephen Y
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A research team at the University of Pittsburgh is studying how platelet energy metabolism and fibroblast glutamine use interact in systemic sclerosis-related pulmonary arterial hypertension to improve diagnosis and treatment.
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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.