Rap1 protein helps reduce inflammation in the retina
Official title: Endothelial Rap1 restricts inflammation in the retina
Funded at Versiti Blood Health, INC. · NIH-11191499 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the Rap1 protein in blood-vessel cells may keep inflammation down in people with diabetic retinopathy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Versiti Blood Health, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $570,083 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY036588-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11191499 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with diabetic retinopathy or those at high risk for diabetic eye disease would be the most likely to benefit from findings and any future therapies based on them.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose vision loss is due to non-inflammatory causes or long-standing irreversible damage may not benefit from these inflammation-focused approaches.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying how Rap1B in retinal endothelial cells controls inflammation driven by molecules like TNF-α and VEGF, focusing on membrane regions called caveolae/lipid rafts where Rap1B acts. They use laboratory experiments and diabetic mouse models to see how changing Rap1B levels affects leukocyte adhesion, blood vessel leakiness, and abnormal vessel growth. The team combines molecular biology, imaging, and physiological measures to map the pathways that balance proinflammatory and homeostatic signals in the retina. Results are meant to clarify why some treatments work incompletely and to suggest targets for therapies that protect retinal blood vessels early in diabetic eye disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or limit inflammation and abnormal blood-vessel growth in diabetic retinopathy, which may help preserve vision.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory work indicates Rap1B influences endothelial signaling and inflammation, but translating this into treatments for diabetic retinopathy is a relatively new and largely untested direction.
Where this research is happening
-
Versiti Blood Health, INC.
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chrzanowska, Magdalena — Versiti Blood Health, INC.
- Study coordinator: Chrzanowska, Magdalena
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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.