How rotavirus causes diarrhea by changing calcium signals
Dissecting Rotavirus Viroporin and Enterotoxin Calcium Signaling Pathways
['FUNDING_R01'] · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · NIH-11170395
This project looks at how rotavirus changes calcium signals in gut cells to cause diarrhea, especially in young children.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (HOUSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11170395 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine will use advanced live-cell imaging and laboratory models to watch how rotavirus alters calcium signaling in infected intestinal cells. They will compare two parts of a viral protein that release calcium inside cells and trigger signals to neighboring cells. The team will use cultured cells and experimental models, including engineered viruses, to pinpoint which signaling events drive viral replication and diarrheal disease. Results are intended to reveal specific steps that could be targeted to prevent or reduce rotavirus-caused diarrhea.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Young children with rotavirus infection (or their caregivers) would be the most directly relevant patient group for future clinical follow-up or specimen donation related to this research.
Not a fit: People whose diarrhea is caused by non-rotavirus pathogens or unrelated conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments or preventive strategies that reduce rotavirus diarrhea in young children.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory and animal studies have shown that the rotavirus NSP4 protein disrupts calcium homeostasis and contributes to diarrhea, but the detailed signaling patterns being described here are newly observed and still being defined.
Where this research is happening
HOUSTON, UNITED STATES
- BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE — HOUSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: HYSER, JOSEPH M. — BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- Study coordinator: HYSER, JOSEPH M.
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.