How gut fungi may drive alcohol-related liver damage
The Role of the Intestinal Mycobiome in Alcoholic Liver Disease
Researchers are looking at whether specific fungi in the gut make liver damage from heavy drinking worse in people with alcohol-related liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11378956 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research compares the fungal communities in the intestines of people with alcohol use disorder and in mice given chronic alcohol. It follows how Candida and Malassezia species can move from the gut to the liver and trigger immune cells that cause inflammation. The team studies intestinal T cell responses, production of the inflammatory molecule IL-17, and how fungal products activate liver Kupffer cells via the Dectin-2 receptor. The goal is to pinpoint fungal-driven pathways that could be targeted to reduce alcohol-related liver injury.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults with alcohol use disorder or alcohol-associated liver disease who can provide stool, blood, or clinical information for research.
Not a fit: People whose liver disease is caused by non-alcohol-related conditions (for example viral hepatitis or genetic/metabolic liver diseases) may not directly benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new ways to prevent or reduce alcohol-related liver inflammation by targeting gut fungi or the immune pathways they trigger.
How similar studies have performed: Previous patient-sample analyses and mouse experiments have reported more Candida and Malassezia with alcohol use and linked fungal antigens to liver inflammation, but targeting gut fungi in people is still an emerging approach.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schnabl, Bernd G. — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Schnabl, Bernd G.
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.