Gut bacterial chemicals that trigger alpha-synuclein clumping in Parkinson's disease
Official title: Discovery of Chemical Factors in the Gut Microbiome that Control Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation in Parkinson's Disease
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11174450 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether certain chemicals made by gut bacteria make the Parkinson's-related protein alpha-synuclein clump and contribute to disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $472,558 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS138879-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11174450 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with Parkinson's disease or those in early or prodromal stages who could provide stool or intestinal tissue in related future studies would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
People without Parkinson's or with unrelated medical conditions are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic laboratory-focused research.
What this research studies
From your point of view, researchers are following a lead that the gut can seed the harmful protein clumps seen in Parkinson's. They will use lab experiments, worm (C. elegans) models, and mammalian gut studies to see how bacterial nitrate respiration produces nitrite that, together with iron and dopamine, turns harmless protein pieces into toxic alpha-synuclein aggregates. Early tests in cells and worms showed this chemical pathway can cause clumping, and the team will extend those findings in larger animal models and gut tissue work. The goal is to pinpoint gut-derived chemical triggers that could be targets for early prevention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal gut-based targets to prevent or slow the protein clumping that leads to Parkinson's.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory and C. elegans (worm) experiments from the team suggest the bacterial nitrate-to-nitrite pathway can promote alpha-syn aggregation, but translating this to mammals and humans remains novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bess, Elizabeth Nancy — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Bess, Elizabeth Nancy
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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.