How sodium helps cells take up citrate and similar molecules
Dynamics and mechanism of sodium-dependent carboxylate transporters
['FUNDING_R01'] · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · NIH-11241123
This project looks at how sodium-driven transporter proteins move citrate into cells to inform future treatments for metabolic conditions.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11241123 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From the patient's perspective, researchers are examining the proteins that carry citrate and related carboxylates into cells because those transports affect fat production. They will use a bacterial model protein and the human transporter to compare how sodium and substrate bind and drive transport. The team will combine solution measurements, biochemical tests, and high-resolution cryo-EM imaging to capture structures with and without sodium. Findings will be used to test ideas about how the transporter works and how it might be blocked by drugs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with metabolic conditions such as obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, or type 2 diabetes could be among those who might benefit from future therapies targeting this transporter.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to citrate transport or fatty-acid biosynthesis are unlikely to see direct benefits from this basic laboratory research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable the design of drugs that block citrate uptake and reduce fat synthesis, which might help treat obesity, fatty liver, and related metabolic diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Previous structural studies have produced static snapshots of related transporters, but real-time mechanism and the locations of all sodium sites remain incompletely described, so this builds on established methods while addressing novel gaps.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: WANG, DANENG — NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- Study coordinator: WANG, DANENG
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: Cancers