How cholesterol harms the liver in alcohol-related hepatitis
Cholesterol toxicity in alcohol-associated hepatitis
Researchers are seeing if boosting a liver gene that controls cholesterol can reduce liver cell damage in people with alcohol-associated hepatitis.
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-11369655 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project studies how cholesterol builds up and damages liver cells in people with alcohol-associated hepatitis by examining human liver samples at single-cell detail. Researchers will map which cholesterol-handling pathways are disrupted in patient cells and use mouse models of alcohol injury to test how those problems cause liver failure. They will also try a new small activating RNA treatment to raise levels of the HNF4α liver gene in cells and animals to see if that fixes cholesterol balance and reduces toxicity. If the lab and animal results look promising, the approach could move toward early human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with alcohol-associated hepatitis or people willing to donate liver tissue or blood samples for research are the most likely candidates to take part or benefit from follow-up trials.
Not a fit: People without alcohol-related liver disease or those with very advanced, irreversible liver failure are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a new therapy that protects liver cells and improves outcomes for people with alcohol-associated hepatitis.
How similar studies have performed: Early lab studies showed that increasing HNF4α helped cells handle cholesterol better, but this strategy is novel and has not yet been proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jiang, Zhenghui Gordon — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Jiang, Zhenghui Gordon
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.