Prelamin A's link to early-onset and normal aging
Official title: Role for prelamin A in premature and physiological aging
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11370570 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking to see if buildup of a protein called prelamin A drives bone loss and heart vessel disease in people with premature aging syndromes and in normal aging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $591,558 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG075047-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11370570 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with premature aging disorders such as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria or mandibuloacral dysplasia-B, as well as older adults with unexplained osteoporosis or atherosclerotic disease, would be most relevant to these findings.
✕Less likely to help
People without bone or cardiovascular aging problems or those with unrelated health conditions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific work.
What this research studies
You would be hearing about work that uses a new mouse model that only makes prelamin A to learn how its buildup harms bones and blood vessels. Scientists will measure bone loss, artery changes, and lifespan while studying the molecular process that normally removes prelamin A. The team will use imaging, tissue analyses, and laboratory tests to connect what they learn in mice to human premature aging disorders like Hutchinson-Gilford progeria and MAD-B. Their goal is to find biological steps that could be targeted to prevent osteoporosis and cardiovascular problems linked to aging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could point to new ways to prevent or treat age-related bone loss and cardiovascular disease by targeting prelamin A or its processing.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked progerin and farnesylated prelamin A to progeria and some drug approaches (like farnesyltransferase inhibitors) showed partial benefit, but this focused prelamin A mouse model and the specific questions here are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Michaelis, Susan D. — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Michaelis, Susan D.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How life circumstances affect brain aging in people with end-stage kidney disease
This project looks at how neighborhood, income, education, and personal resilience relate to earlier memory and thinking problems in adults with end-stage kidney disease.
-
Mitigating HIV-Associated Premature Aging with Cannabinoids
A doctor-scientist team is testing whether cannabis-based anti-inflammatory effects can slow aging-related brain changes in people living with HIV.
-
Targeting aging pathways to help people living with HIV live longer, healthier lives
A patient-centered research project aims to slow aging-related health problems in people with HIV by studying how aging mechanisms work and testing strategies to slow inflammation and aging.
-
Premature aging in World Trade Center responders
Researchers are studying whether responders to the 9/11 cleanup experience faster aging at a biological level, which could affect their health as they get older.
-
How life circumstances affect memory and thinking in people with end-stage kidney disease
Researchers will look at how social and economic factors relate to memory and thinking problems across adults with end-stage kidney disease.
-
Long-term immune and aging changes after severe pneumonia
This project looks at lasting changes in gene activity and immune aging after severe pneumonia to understand why survivors face higher risks of heart disease, cancer, and repeat infections.
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.