Using PET/MRI to see if calming mast cells lowers inflammation and restores sugar use in heart-attack scar tissue
Multiparametric PET/MRI Assessment of Mast Cell Stabilization Effects on Inflammaging and Glucose Utilization in Infarcted Myocardium
This project uses PET/MRI scans to see whether medicines that calm mast cells can lower chronic inflammation and improve glucose use in scarred heart muscle after a heart attack.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11311328 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will combine PET with the glucose tracer 18F-FDG and MRI to measure inflammation, fat changes, and glucose uptake in infarcted (scarred) heart tissue. They will test whether drugs that stabilize mast cells change the balance of immune cells, reduce low-grade chronic inflammation, and restore glucose transporter activity in the damaged heart. The work will link imaging, tissue analysis, and preclinical models to understand how fat accumulation in scar tissue (lipomatous metaplasia) relates to insulin resistance and heart-failure risk. Findings are intended to guide future treatments for older adults who have had heart attacks.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people who have had a prior heart attack and have scarred heart tissue, particularly older adults without diabetes who may show fat accumulation in the myocardium.
Not a fit: People without prior heart attacks, those with active systemic diabetes-driven insulin resistance, or patients seeking immediate clinical treatment for heart failure are unlikely to directly benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new ways to reduce chronic inflammation in scarred heart tissue and improve the heart's ability to use glucose, potentially lowering long-term heart-failure risk after a heart attack.
How similar studies have performed: Previous PET/MRI work has successfully measured inflammation and glucose use, and animal studies implicate mast cells in inflammaging, but applying mast cell stabilizers to reverse post-MI insulin resistance and scar fat changes is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cokic, Ivan — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Cokic, Ivan
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.