RNA chemical tags that drive heart scarring and heart failure
RNA methylation in the progress of heart failure
Researchers are looking at whether chemical tags on RNA make heart cells scar more and worsen heart failure in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11296921 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham will examine how RNA methylation changes control a message called RAPGEF5 and how that affects β-catenin movement that turns on scarring genes. They will use lab models of heart stress, cell experiments, and molecular tests to track RNA tags, protein location, and the development of cardiac fibrosis. The team will manipulate the enzymes that add RNA methylation (like METTL3) and measure whether those changes change scarring and heart function. Findings will come from laboratory and animal work that could guide future studies using human samples or clinical trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with heart failure or evidence of cardiac fibrosis would be the likely candidates for future therapies developed from this work.
Not a fit: People without heart disease or whose heart problems are driven by non-fibrotic causes are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-focused grant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets to prevent or reduce heart scarring and slow progression of heart failure.
How similar studies have performed: Research on mRNA methylation (for example METTL3 and m6A) is a recent and promising area with positive signals in preclinical fibrosis models, but clinical benefit in humans has not yet been established.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Verma, Suresh K — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Verma, Suresh K
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.