How alcohol weakens liver immune defenses and worsens Hepatitis B
Official title: Alcohol Promotes Hepatitis B Progression by Impairment of Innate Immunity in Liver Cells
Funded at University of Nebraska Medical Center · NIH-11261152 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how alcohol and high‑fat diets weaken liver immune signals so hepatitis B can stick around longer and cause more damage in people with HBV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | February 28, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $241,763 |
| NIH project number | 5P50AA030407-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11261152 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with chronic hepatitis B—especially those who drink alcohol or have high‑fat diets or fatty liver—would be the most relevant group for related clinical follow‑up studies or future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without hepatitis B or whose liver disease is unrelated to alcohol are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From the patient perspective, researchers will study how alcohol breakdown products change interferon signaling inside liver cells and in virus‑activated immune cells called macrophages. They will examine tiny particles called extracellular vesicles that macrophages use to turn on antiviral genes in hepatocytes, with special attention to the antiviral protein APOBEC3G that can degrade HBV DNA. The team will use lab-grown liver cells and animal models, and will test how alcohol exposure and high‑fat diet influence viral levels and liver injury. Results aim to pinpoint how alcohol destroys protective immune communication in the liver and suggest ways to restore it for people with chronic HBV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to protect or restore liver immune signaling and reduce hepatitis B persistence and liver damage in people who drink alcohol.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows alcohol can worsen HBV outcomes and that APOBEC3G has antiviral effects, but the role of macrophage‑to‑hepatocyte extracellular vesicles under alcohol exposure is a newer area being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Osna, Natalia Aleksandr — University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Osna, Natalia Aleksandr
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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.