How meals may trigger inflammation through hyaluronan and MARCO
Postprandial activation of hyaluronan-MARCO axis contributes to systemic chronic inflammation
They are looking at whether a naturally occurring sugar-like molecule called hyaluronan that spikes after meals helps drive ongoing inflammation in people with type 2 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11327289 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would hear about how researchers measure hyaluronan levels in blood from people with type 2 diabetes and IBD and compare what happens after meals. The team uses mice that make more or less hyaluronan or the MARCO protein to mimic those changes and track inflammatory signals in blood and liver. They also test what happens when MARCO or related immune pathways are removed or increased to see which steps drive the inflammation. Results from both human samples and these mouse models help point to possible ways to lower post-meal inflammation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with type 2 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease who experience elevated inflammation or post-meal inflammatory symptoms would be the most relevant participants.
Not a fit: People without diabetes or IBD, or whose inflammation is unrelated to hyaluronan signaling, are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to reduce meal-triggered chronic inflammation in people with type 2 diabetes or IBD, which might lower complications.
How similar studies have performed: Preliminary patient measurements and mouse experiments support this mechanism, but targeting the hyaluronan–MARCO pathway in people remains a relatively new and untested approach.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhu, Yi — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Zhu, Yi
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.