Self-cleaning and pressure sensing in the eye's drainage tissue
Autophagy and Mechanotransduction in the Trabecular Meshwork
This work looks at how cells in the eye's drainage pathway use self-cleaning and pressure-sensing to help keep eye pressure normal for people with glaucoma or high eye pressure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11266659 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, scientists are studying the tiny drainage tissue (the trabecular meshwork and Schlemm's canal) that controls fluid drainage and eye pressure. They use lab-grown cells, tissue samples, and animal models to see how mechanical forces like stretch and fluid flow trigger cellular self-cleaning (autophagy) and changes to structural proteins. The team is examining molecular signals such as PI3K activity, the primary cilium, and tubulin acetylation that link force sensing to cell behavior. They are also testing whether boosting tubulin acetylation can lower eye pressure in preclinical models.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with glaucoma or ocular hypertension, or those willing to donate eye tissue samples, would be most relevant to this line of research.
Not a fit: Patients whose vision loss is from non-pressure causes or who are not candidates for pressure-lowering approaches may not benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that lower intraocular pressure or protect against glaucoma-related damage.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical work cited by the investigators showed that increasing tubulin acetylation lowered eye pressure in mice, but human testing remains to be done.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liton, Paloma — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Liton, Paloma
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.