How alcohol changes immune cells in the blood
Alcohol and Monocyte Signaling
Researchers are studying how heavy or binge drinking alters certain blood immune cells in people with alcohol-associated hepatitis to understand why inflammation gets worse.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11332597 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, doctors will collect blood samples from people with alcohol-associated hepatitis and from comparison volunteers to study their monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils. Lab tests will look at how these cells respond to triggers, how they use energy (metabolism), and whether they carry lasting epigenetic marks that make them over-reactive. The team will also use mouse experiments that mimic alcohol exposure and immune challenges to study changes in bone marrow and immune precursors. Together these approaches aim to connect alcohol-driven immune reprogramming to worsened liver inflammation and point to ways to normalize immune responses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with alcohol-associated hepatitis or a history of chronic or binge alcohol use who are willing to provide blood samples and clinical information would be the best candidates.
Not a fit: People without alcohol-related liver disease or those unwilling to provide blood samples are unlikely to directly benefit from participating in this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new therapies that calm harmful inflammation and improve outcomes for people with alcohol-associated hepatitis.
How similar studies have performed: Related research has shown that 'trained immunity' and metabolic reprogramming occur in innate immune cells, but applying these ideas specifically to alcohol-associated hepatitis is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Szabo, Gyongyi — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Szabo, Gyongyi
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.