Gut support cells and belly pain
Enteric glia and visceral pain
This project looks at whether support cells in the gut make nerves more sensitive after inflammation or early-life stress, which could help people with chronic belly pain from IBS or IBD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michigan State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11324530 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use mouse models of gut inflammation and early-life stress to mimic conditions that cause chronic abdominal pain in people. They will watch calcium signals in enteric glia and nearby sensory nerve cells, use genetic tools and chemogenetics to change glial signaling, and observe effects on nerve sensitivity and pain behaviors. The team will compare males and females to identify sex-specific mechanisms and will test how acute inflammation and early-life adversity alter glial–nerve communication. Findings aim to reveal how glia drive visceral hypersensitivity and point to targets for future therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Although this project is preclinical, it is most relevant to people with chronic visceral abdominal pain from IBS or IBD, especially those whose pain follows gut inflammation or early-life adversity.
Not a fit: People whose abdominal pain comes from structural problems, non-visceral causes, or conditions unrelated to enteric glial signaling may not benefit from findings from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that target gut glial cells to reduce chronic abdominal pain in people with IBS or IBD.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies have shown enteric glia can influence gut nerve signaling, but targeting glia for visceral pain is still experimental and the proposal's focus on sex differences and early-life adversity is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
East Lansing, United States
- Michigan State University — East Lansing, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gulbransen, Brian D. — Michigan State University
- Study coordinator: Gulbransen, Brian D.
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.