Gut bacteria and 'leaky' gut in Kawasaki disease
Official title: Role of intestinal microbiome and gut permeability in the development of Kawasaki Disease vasculitis
Funded at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · NIH-11133777 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at whether changes in gut bacteria and a 'leaky' gut make Kawasaki disease worse in young children.
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 start | January 1, 2018 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $617,730 |
| NIH project number | 2R01HL139766-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11133777 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children diagnosed with or at high risk for Kawasaki disease, particularly infants and young children, would be the ideal group for follow-up clinical work or future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without Kawasaki disease—including adults or children with unrelated heart conditions—would not be expected to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
The team uses a mouse model that mimics important features of Kawasaki disease to study how gut bacteria and gut barrier leakage affect blood vessel inflammation. They compare which bacteria and bacterial metabolites, like TMAO, are higher in mice that develop vasculitis versus those that do not. The researchers test whether blocking TMAO production or changing the gut bacterial mix changes how severe the vessel inflammation becomes. Early results show some bacteria and higher TMAO levels may worsen disease while protective bacteria such as A. muciniphila may be reduced.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or lessen blood vessel and heart damage in children with Kawasaki disease by targeting gut bacteria or harmful bacterial metabolites.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked altered gut bacteria to Kawasaki disease, but demonstrating a harmful role for TMAO and specific bacteria in a mouse model is a relatively new and promising direction.
Where this research is happening
-
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Noval Rivas, Magali — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Noval Rivas, Magali
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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.