RNA-based treatment to reduce heart scarring
Developing Long Noncoding RNA Therapy for Precision Cardiac Repair
This project uses a long noncoding RNA packaged in lipid nanoparticles to reduce scarring after heart injury and help the heart recover.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia Univ New York Morningside NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11171546 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will take a protective long noncoding RNA (lncRNA-TARID) found in stem-cell exosomes and package it into lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to deliver it to injured heart tissue. The team plans to boost expression of a heart-protective gene (Tcf21) to prevent myofibroblast activation and myocardial fibrosis. They will test delivery, biodistribution, safety, and anti-fibrotic effects in lab models and animal studies while developing scalable manufacturing methods for the nanoparticles. The work is intended to lay the groundwork for a therapy that could eventually move into human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who recently had a heart attack or who have progressive cardiac fibrosis or early-stage heart failure due to scarring would be the most likely future candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with heart problems unrelated to scarring (for example isolated electrical rhythm disorders) or those with irreversible end-stage heart failure are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could shrink or prevent harmful heart scarring after heart attacks and lower the chance of progressing to heart failure.
How similar studies have performed: Lipid nanoparticle delivery of RNA has proven successful in vaccines and some gene therapies, but using long noncoding RNAs to reverse cardiac fibrosis is a novel and largely untested idea.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia Univ New York Morningside — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cheng, Ke — Columbia Univ New York Morningside
- Study coordinator: Cheng, Ke
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.