How SH2B1 brain circuits control body weight and metabolism
Official title: Role of hypothalamic SH2B1 neurocircuits and SH2B1 signal transduction pathways in obesity and metabolic disease
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11238986 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether brain cells that use the protein SH2B1 help control appetite, weight, and blood sugar in people with or at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $684,895 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK141559-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238986 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes or people at high risk for adult-onset diabetes would be the eventual patient groups most likely to benefit from findings.
✕Less likely to help
People without obesity or type 2 diabetes, or those needing immediate clinical treatment, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
What this research studies
Researchers will map and manipulate neurons in a hypothalamic region called the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH) that express the protein SH2B1 to see how they connect with the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and influence eating and metabolism. They will use genetic approaches to turn SH2B1 on or off in specific neurons and use light-based stimulation to activate PVH→DRN fibers in animal models while measuring food intake, body weight, and blood sugar. The team will study SH2B1 signal-transduction pathways and responses to molecules like BDNF to understand how these signals control energy balance. The goal is to identify specific circuits and signals that could become targets for future treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new brain-circuit or molecular targets for therapies that reduce appetite, lower body weight, and improve blood sugar control.
How similar studies have gone: Prior mouse studies showed that loss of SH2B1 causes obesity and diabetes and that restoring SH2B1 in neurons reverses the phenotype, and optogenetic activation of PVH fibers reduced food intake, but human translation remains limited.
Where this research is happening
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University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rui, Liangyou — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Rui, Liangyou
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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.