How a liver protein (PPARγ) may drive fatty liver disease
Official title: PPARgamma-regulated mechanisms in hepatocytes that promote NAFLD
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11290380 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether a liver protein called PPARγ causes or worsens fatty liver disease in adults with type 2 diabetes to find better treatment targets.
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 | February 1, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $411,157 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK131038-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11290380 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with type 2 diabetes who have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or are at high risk for NASH.
✕Less likely to help
People without NAFLD/NASH, or those whose liver disease is caused mainly by alcohol or other non-metabolic causes, are unlikely to benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
If I have fatty liver linked to type 2 diabetes, this project focuses on a liver protein called PPARγ that may drive the disease. Researchers will use lab models, including genetically modified mice and viral gene tools, to change PPARγ activity specifically in liver cells and measure effects on methionine metabolism and genes like PEMT and BHMT. They will also test how these liver changes affect the response to diabetes drugs called thiazolidinediones (TZDs). The goal is to find liver-specific molecular targets that could lead to safer or more effective treatments for NAFLD/NASH.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal liver-specific targets or strategies that prevent or treat NAFLD/NASH and improve how diabetes drugs are used for people with fatty liver.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows TZD drugs can help insulin resistance but their liver effects are mixed, so this builds on known findings while exploring a novel liver-specific mechanism.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cordoba-Chacon, Jose — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Cordoba-Chacon, Jose
Related research
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Small blood particle signals and fatty liver in children and teens
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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.