Progesterone receptors and abdominal muscle scarring that can cause inguinal hernias
Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis and Progesterone Receptor
Researchers are seeing if progesterone receptor signals in lower abdominal muscle cells cause scarring and weakening that lead to inguinal hernias, especially in older men.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11384360 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team uses a mouse model that mimics hormone changes seen in older men to study why lower abdominal muscles develop scarring and thin out. They give hormones or block hormone receptors and then look at the specific muscle fibroblast cells that drive fibrosis. They will test whether progesterone receptor activity is required for the scarring and whether blocking it can prevent or reverse muscle damage. Findings will be compared to changes seen in human hernia tissue to guide possible future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Men with age-related inguinal hernias or signs of lower abdominal wall weakness would be the most relevant group for eventual clinical translation.
Not a fit: People whose hernias come from injury, congenital defects, or non-hormonal causes may not benefit from therapies targeting hormone-driven muscle scarring.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or reverse abdominal muscle scarring and reduce the need for hernia surgery without the side effects of current hormone-blocking drugs.
How similar studies have performed: Prior mouse work showed that blocking estrogen signaling can reverse similar muscle fibrosis, but directly targeting the progesterone receptor in this setting is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bulun, Serdar E. — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Bulun, Serdar E.
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.