Castorena Lab / Funding
Review the sources backing our research.
Review the sources backing our research.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) · $2,406,330
Trpv4 regulation of lymphatic vascular function: Implications in metabolic syndrome
Understanding how the lymphatic system contributes to inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases remains significantly unexplored; however, recent evidence underscores important emerging roles of the lymphatic system in obesity and metabolic syndrome. This application will 1) identify the specific contribution of dysfunction of the lymphatic vasculature to metabolic dysfunction in diet-induced obesity; and 2) will test and propose novel therapeutic strategies targeting overactive Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 (Trpv4) ion channels and the Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), an important biomarker for disease.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) · $1,951,785
Mechanisms of Cholesterol Induced Lymphatic Dysfunction: Can GLP-1R Agonism Improve Lymphatic Function in Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome?
Lymphatic system diseases, including secondary lymphedema, continue to affect hundreds of millions worldwide while pharmacological therapies remain unavailable. Cancer survivors are most susceptible to developing secondary lymphedema and the risk is significantly increased by obesity and metabolic syndrome. This application aims to 1) understand how obesity and hypercholesterolemia lead to severe dysfunction of the lymphatic system, and 2) determine the therapeutic potential of targeting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors (GLP-1Rs) to treat, prevent, or decrease the risk of developing obesity-induced lymphatic dysfunction using existing GLP-1R therapies.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) · $99,652
Unraveling the mechanisms behind lymphatic dysfunction in obesity: are weight-loss drugs effective at restoring lymphatic function?
Clinical studies have demonstrated that obesity increases the risk of developing lymphedema; however, the molecular mechanisms behind obesity-driven lymphatic dysfunction remain poorly understood, leading to a lack of treatment options. This proposal will 1) identify and characterize transcriptomic and functional alterations in lymphatic vessels from diet-induced obese ApoE KO mice and 2) assess the effects of GLP-1R agonists (i.e. Semaglutide) on the function of lymphatic vessels and determine the therapeutic potential of GLP-1R weight- loss drugs to improve lymphatic function in diet-induced obese ApoE KO mice.
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