# Beclin-1 in Sepsis-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction

> **NIH NIH R01** · LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO · 2020 · $307,167

## Abstract

Project Summary
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition of organ dysfunction caused by a deregulated host
response to infection. Our research is focused on understanding the mechanisms of
sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy, with an ultimate goal of developing new therapies.
In our recently published study in Circulation (May, 2018), we obtained strong evidence
showing that Beclin-1, a core regulator of autophagy, mitigates inflammation and
improves cardiac function during endotoxemia. We hypothesize that Beclin-1 is a
prospective new and key therapeutic target for sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction. In
this application, we will test this hypothesis using both genetic and pharmacological
approaches in sepsis models in vitro and in vivo. We will determine the mechanisms of
how Beclin-1 protects the heart by a regulatory pathway via mitochondria-associated
membranes (aim 1) and by a selective induction of adaptive mitophagy (aim 2) during
sepsis. We will further perform a comprehensive preclinical evaluation for a newly
developed Beclin-1-activating peptide in clinically relevant models (aim 3). We expect
that these investigations will not only advance the fundamental understanding of sepsis
pathogenesis, but also identify a novel therapy with promising potential to improve
patient care quality and clinical outcomes for sepsis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9994986
- **Project number:** 5R01GM111295-08
- **Recipient organization:** LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Qun Sophia Zang
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $307,167
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-09-25 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9994986

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9994986, Beclin-1 in Sepsis-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction (5R01GM111295-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9994986. Licensed CC0.

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