How a liver immune protein (SMPDL3B) affects fatty liver in people with obesity
Role of SMPDL3B in obesity-associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · NIH-11325730
This project looks at whether restoring a liver immune protein called SMPDL3B can reduce inflammation and slow fatty liver disease in people with obesity.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (LEXINGTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11325730 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will study how SMPDL3B in liver immune cells controls a fatty-acid receptor called CD36 and how that signaling drives inflammation in obesity-related fatty liver disease. They will use mouse models and human liver organoids made from patient tissue to see how changing SMPDL3B levels affects liver inflammation and disease features. The team will also test whether blocking the interaction between the protein TSP1 and CD36 raises SMPDL3B and lowers inflammatory signaling in macrophages. Together these approaches aim to link basic molecular changes to disease progression and point to possible treatment targets.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for future clinical work would be adults with obesity who have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or early non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Not a fit: People whose liver disease is caused primarily by alcohol or who already have advanced cirrhosis are unlikely to benefit from these specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to reduce liver inflammation and prevent progression from NAFLD to NASH in people with obesity.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory and animal studies support the importance of this pathway, but using SMPDL3B restoration or blocking TSP1/CD36 as a treatment is still largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
LEXINGTON, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY — LEXINGTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: WANG, SHUXIA — UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- Study coordinator: WANG, SHUXIA
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.