Hexokinase 2's role in liver scarring and NASH-related liver cancer
Official title: The role of hexokinase 2 in liver fibrosis and NASH-induced HCC
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11140505 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at whether a sugar-processing enzyme called HK2 causes liver scarring in people with NASH and helps liver cancer grow.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $595,149 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA285576-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11140505 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver fibrosis, or those at high risk for NASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma, would be the most relevant patients.
✕Less likely to help
People without NASH or liver fibrosis, or whose liver disease is caused by other conditions, are unlikely to benefit directly from these findings.
What this research studies
This work looks at how HK2 increases sugar breakdown in liver support cells (hepatic stellate cells), producing lactate that changes gene activity and drives scarring. Scientists will study HK2's effects in liver cells and animal models and test whether removing or blocking HK2 reduces fibrosis and NASH-driven liver cancer. The team has found that lactate causes histone lactylation, a chemical change that turns on fibrosis genes, and that loss of HK2 weakens that response. The goal is to identify whether targeting HK2 could stop or reverse scarring and lower future liver cancer risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to treatments that reduce liver scarring in NASH and lower the chance of developing liver cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory studies show HK2 supports glycolysis and cancer growth and that histone lactylation can alter gene expression, but applying these findings to NASH and preventing liver cancer is a newer, translational step.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hay, Nissim — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Hay, Nissim
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Role of HK2 in liver scarring, fatty liver disease, and liver cancer
A study in adults looks at how the enzyme HK2 helps drive liver scarring in NASH and may influence the development of liver cancer, with potential to point to new treatments.
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.