SNRK & Vascular Endothelial Aging

The Association Between SNRK and Vascular Endothelial Aging

Cardiovascular diseases pose a serious threat to public health, and their prevalence is on the rise year by year. Vascular aging is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, and endothelial cell senescence is an early event in vascular aging. Its occurrence can lead to endothelium-dependent vasodilation dysfunction, reduced vascular permeability, and the release of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). These vascular pathological changes further damage the vascular media, leading to vascular remodeling and reduced compliance, accelerating the progression of atherosclerosis, and ultimately resulting in cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and hypertension. Recent research of the investigators has revealed that SNRK, a new member of the AMPK family of cellular energy sensors, plays a key regulatory role in vascular development. Based on this finding, the investigators propose the scientific hypothesis that SNRK responds to both physiological and pathological aging stimuli through differential mechanisms and regulates the process of endothelial cell senescence. In this study, the investigators will explore the correlation between SNRKAS and carotid vascular structure and endothelial function by measuring the levels of the SNRK upstream lncRNA (SNRKAS) in participants' peripheral blood, in conjunction with carotid ultrasound examinations. The findings will provide a solid scientific basis for elucidating new mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of vascular aging and for identifying novel therapeutic targets.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Vascular Aging
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: serum tests and carotid ultrasound test

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 180

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Xintong Ge, M.D.; Phone Number: 86-022-60362237; Email: xge@tmu.edu.cn

Study Locations

• China
  • Tianjin Municipality
    • Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, China, 300052
      • Recruiting
      • Tianjin Medical University General Hospital
      • Contact: Xintong Ge, M.D.; Email: xge@tmu.edu.cn

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Estimated by statistical analysis, a total of 180 subjects were included from individuals who come for physical examinations or medical visits to the leading and collaborating administrations of this project, and meet the inclusion criteria between April 2026 and March 2029.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Aged 18-80 years, with the capacity to make decisions independently or represented by an authorized legal guardian;
2. Able to provide complete personal information, medical history, and lifestyle history (e.g., smoking and alcohol consumption history);
3. No history of severe cardiovascular disease, and deemed eligible for inclusion by a physician.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant;
2. Patients with a history of neurological disorders, tumors, severe cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, liver failure, kidney failure, or blood disorders;
3. Patients who have undergone carotid stenting, carotid endarterectomy, or other similar procedures, or who have unilateral carotid artery occlusion due to any cause;
4. Patients who have participated in another clinical trial within the past 4 weeks;
5. Individuals deemed unsuitable for this clinical trial by the investigators.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

3

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
< 40 years old; Participants of < 40 years old.	Diagnostic test: serum tests and carotid ultrasound test; 10 mL of venous blood was drawn from each participant to measure blood lipids and serum levels of SNRKAS (using RT-qPCR), and to perform transcriptomic analysis.; Carotid ultrasound was used to measure circumferential strain and pulse wave velocity in both carotid arteries to assess the degree of arterial stiffness.
40-60 years old; Participants of 40-60 years old.	Diagnostic test: serum tests and carotid ultrasound test; 10 mL of venous blood was drawn from each participant to measure blood lipids and serum levels of SNRKAS (using RT-qPCR), and to perform transcriptomic analysis.; Carotid ultrasound was used to measure circumferential strain and pulse wave velocity in both carotid arteries to assess the degree of arterial stiffness.
> 60 years old; Participants of > 60 years old.	Diagnostic test: serum tests and carotid ultrasound test; 10 mL of venous blood was drawn from each participant to measure blood lipids and serum levels of SNRKAS (using RT-qPCR), and to perform transcriptomic analysis.; Carotid ultrasound was used to measure circumferential strain and pulse wave velocity in both carotid arteries to assess the degree of arterial stiffness.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Serum levels of SNRKAS detected by RT-PCR	serum levels of SNRKAS (fold change)	At enrollment
Degree of bilateral carotid artery stenosis detected by Doppler ultrasound	Intima-media thickness (mm) and lumen diameter (mm) of bilateral common carotid artery and internal carotid artery	At enrollment
Pulse wave velocity in both carotid arteries detected by Doppler ultrasound	Peak systolic velocity (cm/s) of bilateral common carotid artery and internal carotid artery	At enrollment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Blood lipids levels detected by automated biochemical analyzer (LABOSPECT 008, Hitachi)	Total Cholesterol (mmol/L), Triglycerides (mmol/L), High-Density Lipoprotein (mmol/L), Low-Density Lipoprotein (mmol/L)	At enrollment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Tianjin Medical University
• Investigators: Study Chair: Minghui Zou, Ph.D., mhzou@tmu.edu.cn

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2029

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 6, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 12, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 15, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 15, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 12, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: vascular aging; carotid atherosclerosis; cell senescence; vascular endothelial cells; SNRK
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Cerebrovascular Disorders; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Carotid Artery Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB2026-YX-172-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No