Why lung artery lining cells survive when they shouldn't in pulmonary hypertension
Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cell Endotypes and the Role of Anoikis Resistance in Pulmonary Hypertension
This project looks at whether the lining cells from lung arteries in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension resist detachment-triggered cell death and whether blocking specific proteins can restore normal cell behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rhode Island Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11292863 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have pulmonary arterial hypertension, doctors on this project will collect cells that stick to the balloon tip during your routine right-heart catheterization and grow them in the lab. They will analyze these cells one by one to see if some avoid a normal form of cell death caused by detachment (anoikis) and whether that varies with disease severity. The team will search for molecules such as syndecan-4 and PLAC8 that help cells resist anoikis and will test in the lab whether targeting those molecules can reverse the abnormal behavior. Results may reveal patient-specific cell patterns and potential pathways to treat vessel lining dysfunction in PAH.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with pulmonary arterial hypertension who are scheduled for a right-heart catheterization at the study site and are willing to allow collection of cells from the catheter balloon.
Not a fit: People without pulmonary hypertension or those not undergoing right-heart catheterization would not be able to contribute samples and are unlikely to get direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new molecular targets to restore normal lung vessel lining cell behavior and slow or reverse blood-vessel damage in pulmonary arterial hypertension.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work by the team has successfully harvested and grown endothelial cells from catheter balloons, but using these samples to target anoikis in PAH is a novel translational step.
Where this research is happening
Providence, United States
- Rhode Island Hospital — Providence, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ventetuolo, Corey E — Rhode Island Hospital
- Study coordinator: Ventetuolo, Corey E
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.