How bone signals help control energy use and blood sugar
Molecular bases of the regulation of energy expenditure by bone
This project looks at whether a protein made by bone (lipocalin‑2) can turn on brown fat and improve blood sugar control in people with age‑related high blood sugar or type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11198013 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are exploring a signal from bone (LCN2) that may tell the nervous system to activate brown fat, which burns glucose and fat. The team uses laboratory experiments that map the nerve pathways (including MC4R receptors in spinal neurons) and test how those signals change with aging. Much of the work uses cells and animal models to see if restoring this pathway can increase brown fat activity and lower blood sugar. The ultimate goal is to learn whether this bone‑to‑nerve‑to‑fat route could lead to treatments for age‑related high blood sugar.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The most relevant people would be older adults with age‑related high blood sugar, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes who are interested in new treatment approaches.
Not a fit: People with type 1 diabetes or metabolic problems that do not involve brown fat activity or the bone‑to‑nerve pathway are unlikely to benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to boost brown fat activity and improve blood sugar control in older adults with or at risk for type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies show that activating brown fat by cold exposure or certain drugs can improve glucose metabolism, but using bone‑derived LCN2 to drive this response is a newer and less tested idea.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zeltser, Lori M — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Zeltser, Lori M
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.