AKAP12 protein changes in alcohol-related liver disease
A-Kinase Anchoring Protein Dysregulation during Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease
This project looks at whether alcohol changes a liver protein called AKAP12 in ways that make fat build up and damage the liver in people with alcohol-related liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141914 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work uses mouse models and human liver samples to map how alcohol alters phosphorylation of the scaffold protein AKAP12 and how those changes shift its interactions with kinases and phosphatases. Researchers use proteomics and phospho-peptide mapping and create mutations at AKAP12 phosphorylation sites to see how phosphorylation affects protein stability. They study how AKAP12 partners with PKA, the β2-adrenergic receptor, and lipolytic enzymes like ATGL to control cAMP signaling and fat breakdown in liver cells. Human liver tissue or samples are compared with animal and cell data to link molecular changes to fat accumulation in alcohol-associated liver disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with alcohol-associated fatty liver disease or alcohol-associated liver disease could be candidates for related sample donation or future clinical studies.
Not a fit: People whose liver disease is not related to alcohol (for example viral hepatitis or autoimmune liver disease) are less likely to benefit directly from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify new molecular targets to prevent or reduce fat buildup and liver injury from alcohol.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory studies have shown AKAP12 interacts with signaling proteins and that PKA/β2-adrenergic pathways affect lipid handling, but applying these findings specifically to alcohol-linked liver disease is a newer direction.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ramani, Komal — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Ramani, Komal
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.