How age-related immune changes affect belly fat and insulin resistance
Official title: Inflammation and insulin resistance in aging
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11241964 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are exploring whether changes in specific immune cells that come with middle age make belly fat burn less energy and lead to insulin resistance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $388,294 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG065197-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11241964 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Middle-aged adults with increased visceral (belly) fat or early insulin resistance would be the most relevant group for future patient studies.
✕Less likely to help
Young healthy people without metabolic problems or individuals with autoimmune type 1 diabetes are unlikely to benefit from findings specific to age-related fat inflammation.
What this research studies
This project uses mouse models and cell experiments to study how conventional T cells and regulatory T cells in fat tissue change with middle age and affect “browning” of white fat. Pilot work showed regulatory T cells increase but become dysfunctional with age while conventional T cells rise and block fat browning via cell contact and secreted signals. The team will probe molecular drivers such as STAT1 and manipulate immune cell populations to see how these changes alter fat metabolism and whole-body insulin sensitivity. The goal is to identify immune-related mechanisms that could be targeted to restore healthier fat function in aging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new immune-targeted treatments to reduce age-related belly fat and improve insulin sensitivity.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have shown immune cells can change fat inflammation and metabolism, but the specific regulatory T cell dysfunction pattern in aging and its impact on fat browning is a newer finding.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Huaizhu — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Wu, Huaizhu
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How SPTLC3 affects aging, diet, and heart disease risk
This study looks at how a particular enzyme SPTLC3 influences aging-related insulin resistance, fatty liver disease risk, and atherosclerosis, especially when eating a high-fat diet.
-
How aging affects fat tissue and insulin resistance
This study is looking at how getting older affects fat in our bodies and how that might lead to problems with insulin, especially by checking out the role of immune cells in fat tissue, to help us understand why older folks might gain more weight and have metabolic issues.
-
Aging Well with HIV: Alcohol, Risk Reduction, and Education Center (AWAR3E)
A center at Yale is exploring how aging with HIV interacts with alcohol use to create inflammation and frailty, with the goal of finding biomarkers and potential treatments.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
Biological aging across the lifespan through a national high school-to-adult study
This grant uses a long-running national study of students and adults to collect saliva biomarkers of aging, alongside surveys, to understand how aging markers relate to health and life experiences.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
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.