# Mast cell activation as a determinant of neurologic injury after cardiac arrest

> **NIH NIH R21** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $254,308

## Abstract

Abstract:
Brain injury is a major determinant of outcomes in patients after out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).
Because neuronal damage shows a typical, delayed course, it has been deducted that
components of post–cardiac arrest neuronal injury are potentially treatable. However,
considerable gaps in knowledge exist on the mechanisms that mediate neuronal injury in this
setting.
Mast cells (MCs) are perivascular immune sentinel cells best known to trigger acute inflammation
and shock in allergic responses. Supported by our preliminary findings, we hypothesize that MCs
are also central effectors in development of neuro-inflammation and neuronal injury after OHCA.
As such, we documented robust MC activation after cardiac arrest in both a mouse model and in
recovering patients. Furthermore, MC-deficient mice displayed reduced disruption of their blood
brain barrier and less infiltration of inflammatory cells indicating that they may be protected from
harmful secondary responses after cardiac arrest. Consequently, the objective of our work is to
establish several independent lines of research in mice and in patients in order to
comprehensively characterize the MC contribution to neuroinflammation and neuronal injury
following cardiac arrest.
This project constitutes a crucial step towards our long-term goal to establish MCs as key cellular
targets of the harmful responses to cardiac arrest and to develop novel therapeutic and diagnostic
tools that improve the care of these critically ill patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10042316
- **Project number:** 1R21NS117973-01
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jorn Karhausen
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $254,308
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10042316

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10042316, Mast cell activation as a determinant of neurologic injury after cardiac arrest (1R21NS117973-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10042316. Licensed CC0.

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