How insulin changes B immune cells in obesity and type 2 diabetes
The B Cell Insulin Receptor in Health and in Insulin Resistance
This project looks at how insulin changes B cells in people with obesity to better understand why insulin stops working and can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Buck Institute for Research on Aging NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Novato, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237599 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study how B cells (a type of immune cell) respond when insulin binds to their insulin receptor during early and long-term obesity. They will use mouse models and examine samples from people to compare inflammatory signals, antibody production, and blood sugar control over time. The team will test what happens when the insulin receptor on B cells is turned off and will check how immune cells handle infections in the context of obesity. The work aims to link immune changes in fat and liver to the development and progression of insulin resistance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with obesity, prediabetes, or early type 2 diabetes who are willing to give blood or fat tissue samples would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without obesity, those with type 1 diabetes, or individuals whose diabetes is driven by unrelated causes may not directly benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that target B cells or their insulin response to prevent or improve insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies have shown that removing the insulin receptor from B cells can improve blood sugar in mice, but applying this to people is still new and unproven.
Where this research is happening
Novato, United States
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging — Novato, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Winer, Dan — Buck Institute for Research on Aging
- Study coordinator: Winer, Dan
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.