How rotavirus hijacks intestinal fats to cause diarrhea
Regulation of Rotavirus Replication
['FUNDING_R01'] · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · NIH-11226057
Researchers are looking at how rotavirus changes fat handling and other cell processes in intestinal cells to explain severe diarrhea 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-11226057 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project examines how rotavirus alters lipid metabolism and cell machinery in intestinal cells by studying infected cells and viral proteins in the laboratory. The team focuses on a viral protein called NSP2 that triggers the degradation of an enzyme (DGAT1), leading to changes in lipid droplets and triglyceride levels. They study the formation of viroplasms and measure how these changes reduce digestive enzymes and damage absorptive function in the gut. Experiments use cell-based systems and related models to connect these molecular events to malabsorption and life-threatening diarrhea in children.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The most relevant participants or sample donors would be young children with acute rotavirus infection or people able to provide stool or intestinal samples for research.
Not a fit: People with diarrhea caused by non-rotavirus infections or unrelated digestive conditions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new targets for treatments or prevention strategies that reduce severe rotavirus diarrhea and malabsorption in children.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory studies have previously shown that viral proteins can hijack host lipid pathways, but turning those discoveries into effective rotavirus therapies remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
HOUSTON, UNITED STATES
- BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE — HOUSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CRAWFORD, SUE ELLEN — BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- Study coordinator: CRAWFORD, SUE ELLEN
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.
Conditions: Bacterial Infections