How liver scar‑forming cells drive scarring in liver disease
Determination of Molecular Mechanism of Stellate Cell-Mediated Fibrosis
This project looks at whether blocking a protein called WT1 in liver scar‑forming cells can reduce the scarring that leads to cirrhosis in people with chronic liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247512 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study a protein called WT1 to see how it makes hepatic stellate cells invade liver tissue and remodel the extracellular matrix under low‑oxygen conditions. They will use laboratory cell experiments and mouse models of liver injury to turn down WT1 and watch how scar bands form and spread. The team will combine molecular tools, tissue analysis, and imaging to measure stellate cell behavior and the amount and pattern of liver scarring. Findings will be used to identify whether targeting WT1 could become a strategy to slow or stop fibrosis progression.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with chronic liver disease—such as hepatitis B or C, alcoholic or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis—who have evidence of liver fibrosis or are at risk of progressing to cirrhosis would be the eventual target population for therapies from this work.
Not a fit: People without liver disease or those with very advanced, decompensated cirrhosis are unlikely to benefit from this early preclinical research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that slow or prevent liver scarring and reduce the risk of cirrhosis.
How similar studies have performed: Early animal data show that reducing WT1 activity can lower stellate cell invasion and fibrosis in mice, but human testing of this approach has not yet occurred.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seki, Ekihiro — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Seki, Ekihiro
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.