Role of PD-L1 in heart disease after injury and cancer
Official title: The Role of Cell-Specific PD-L1 in cardiac pathophysiology post Ischemic Injury and Cancer
Funded at Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport · NIH-11416646 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how a protein called PD-L1 in heart cells affects heart injury and cancer treatment, with the aim of making heart damage from therapy safer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Shreveport, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $416,995 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL176552-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11416646 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with advanced cancer undergoing or considering immune checkpoint therapy and individuals with a history of ischemic heart injury or at risk for cardiotoxicity.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without access to immunotherapy or those without heart disease risk factors may be less directly affected by this research.
What this research studies
This project looks at how blocking PD-L1, a molecule involved in immune checkpoints, influences heart tissue after ischemic injury and during cancer therapy. The team focuses on fibroblasts and immune cells in the heart and uses cell-specific genetic edits to see how PD-L1 affects inflammation and remodeling after injury. By understanding these mechanisms, the study aims to identify potential strategies to reduce heart damage while preserving cancer-fighting benefits of immunotherapy. The work integrates cardiac biology with immunology to address a critical side effect of modern cancer treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to safer cancer immunotherapies with fewer heart-related side effects and improved recovery after heart injury.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that immune checkpoints influence inflammatory responses in the heart, supporting the potential relevance of these mechanisms; this project advances the model to human-relevant cell types.
Where this research is happening
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Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport
Shreveport, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sultan, Tousif — Louisiana State Univ Hsc Shreveport
- Study coordinator: Sultan, Tousif
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.