Protecting the heart from e-cigarette damage
Official title: Targeting PARP Proteins in electronic cigarettes-induced cardiac dysfunction
Funded at Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci · NIH-11087479 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores how e-cigarettes might harm your heart and if a medication could help prevent that damage.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $144,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM153622-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11087479 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research does not directly involve patient participation at this stage.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not currently using e-cigarettes or those with heart conditions unrelated to e-cigarette use may not directly benefit from this specific research focus.
What this research studies
Many people use e-cigarettes, but the nicotine in them might increase fats in the blood, potentially harming heart cells. This damage can affect important cell processes involving proteins like PARP1 and Sirtuin-1, which are crucial for cell health and metabolism. This project uses animal models exposed to e-cigarettes to understand how this damage occurs and to test if a medication called acipimox can prevent or reverse these harmful effects. Initial findings suggest acipimox could protect the heart by reducing inflammation and DNA damage caused by e-cigarette exposure. The aim is to uncover new ways to safeguard heart health for individuals who use e-cigarettes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments or strategies to protect the hearts of individuals who use e-cigarettes from potential damage.
How similar studies have gone: This project builds on initial findings from the researchers showing that a drug called acipimox helped protect the heart in animal models exposed to e-cigarettes.
Where this research is happening
-
Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Espinoza-Derout, Jorge — Charles R. Drew University of Med & Sci
- Study coordinator: Espinoza-Derout, Jorge
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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.