How PKM2 controls liver scarring
Official title: Regulation of Liver Fibrosis by Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PKM2)
Funded at VA Connecticut Healthcare System · NIH-11223302 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether blocking the protein PKM2 can reduce liver scarring for people with chronic liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Connecticut Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Haven, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2016 |
| Project end | September 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX003259-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11223302 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with chronic liver disease or early to moderate liver fibrosis would be the main candidates for future therapies arising from this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without liver fibrosis or those with very advanced, decompensated cirrhosis are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this early-stage research.
What this research studies
Scientists will study how the protein PKM2 causes hepatic stellate cells to activate and produce scar tissue in the liver. They will identify the chemical changes that make PKM2 move into the cell nucleus and the genes it turns on during fibrosis. The team will test new PKM2-binding compounds in cell and preclinical models to see if they stop stellate cell activation and reduce fibrosis. Findings will be used to guide future drug development for people with chronic liver disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new medicines that prevent or reverse liver scarring in chronic liver disease.
How similar studies have gone: Prior lab work shows PKM2 affects inflammatory and metabolic genes in liver immune cells, but using PKM2-targeting compounds for liver fibrosis is largely experimental and early-stage.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Connecticut Healthcare System
West Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehal, Wajahat Zafar — VA Connecticut Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Mehal, Wajahat Zafar
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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.