Cholesterol's effects on insulin-producing pancreatic cells
Official title: Effects of Cholesterol in Pancreatic Islets
Funded at Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res · NIH-11319817 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how cholesterol changes linked to statin use can harm insulin-making pancreatic beta cells in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $430,797 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK134502-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11319817 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults taking statin medications or adults at risk for type 2 diabetes would be most relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
Children, people with type 1 diabetes, or patients not taking statins are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers will study pancreatic islet beta cells (the cells that make insulin) in the lab to see how statins cause cholesterol to build up inside cell mitochondria. They will focus on cholesterol transport proteins called StAR and STARD3 that appear increased after statin exposure and test how changing these proteins affects mitochondrial cholesterol, insulin release, and cell survival. Experiments use isolated islets and molecular tools to raise or lower these transport proteins while measuring cell function, cholesterol levels, and markers of cell death. The goal is to understand the chain of events so we can point to ways to protect beta cells in people taking statins.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal targets to prevent statin-related loss of insulin production and lower the risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous clinical and laboratory studies show statins can raise diabetes risk and impair beta-cell function, but linking mitochondrial cholesterol accumulation and transport proteins like StAR/STARD3 is a newer, less-tested idea.
Where this research is happening
-
Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zraika, Sakeneh — Seattle Inst for Biomedical/clinical Res
- Study coordinator: Zraika, Sakeneh
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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.