How overeating and metabolic stress drive NASH-related liver cancer
Role of hypernutrition and metabolic stress in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) driven hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
This research looks at how excess nutrition and cell stress change liver metabolism and push NASH (fatty liver disease) toward liver cancer, with the goal of finding points to stop that process.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11189737 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, scientists are tracing how specific stress-response networks in liver cells (including NRF2, ATF6, AKT and mitochondrial factors like STARD1 and SAB) change glucose, fat, and cholesterol handling in ways that promote cancer. They will use mouse models, cell experiments, lineage tracing, and molecular analysis to find which cells switch on these pathways and what triggers that switch. The team will test what happens when individual pathway components are removed or activated to see if that slows or speeds cancer development. The overall aim is to find molecular choke points that could become targets to prevent or intercept NASH progressing to hepatocellular carcinoma.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or advanced fatty liver disease who are at increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma are the most relevant population for this research.
Not a fit: Patients whose liver cancer is caused primarily by viral hepatitis, alcohol, or unrelated non-metabolic causes may not directly benefit from findings specific to NASH-driven pathways.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify drug targets or biomarkers that help prevent or block the progression from NASH to liver cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical work targeting related metabolic and stress-response pathways has shown promise in animal models, but these approaches have not yet been proven in people.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaufman, Randal J. — Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
- Study coordinator: Kaufman, Randal J.
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.