How a natural protein (MFG-E8) may help the liver heal after cell loss
Official title: Milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 and hepatocyte apoptosis-induced liver wound healing response
Funded at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center · NIH-11213919 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether the protein MFG-E8 helps the liver recover after liver-cell death, which could help people with acute or chronic liver injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Jesse Brown VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006085-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11213919 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with recent liver injury or chronic liver disease—such as drug-induced injury, ischemia/reperfusion damage, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, or alcohol-related liver disease—are the kinds of patients who might ultimately benefit.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with inherited metabolic liver disorders unrelated to hepatocyte apoptosis, those needing immediate liver transplantation, or people whose conditions are driven by unrelated mechanisms are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers are using a new mouse model that mimics targeted liver-cell death to understand how the liver heals. They will trigger controlled hepatocyte apoptosis in transgenic mice and track inflammation, tissue repair, and scarring over time. The team will measure levels and activity of the protein MFG-E8 and perform molecular analyses of liver tissue to see if MFG-E8 speeds recovery. Results could point to ways to protect the liver and encourage regeneration after injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new strategies to help the liver recover after injury and reduce progression to cirrhosis or liver failure.
How similar studies have gone: Some preclinical studies in other tissues suggest MFG-E8 can aid repair, but applying it to apoptosis-driven liver healing is largely new and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
-
Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tan, Xiao-Di — Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Tan, Xiao-Di
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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.