How the body's endocannabinoid signals affect gut E. coli and related infections
Effects of host endocannabinoid signaling on Enterobacteriaceae infection
Researchers will look at whether changes in your body's endocannabinoid signals let E. coli and related gut bacteria grow and worsen gut inflammation, which may matter for people with Crohn's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11314549 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, this work uses laboratory and animal models to see how signals in the body called endocannabinoids might cause otherwise hidden nutrients to become available and feed E. coli and other Enterobacteriaceae in the gut. The team combines mouse models of infection and Crohn’s-like gut inflammation with genetic tools, targeted metabolite measurements, germ-free (gnotobiotic) approaches, and drug manipulations to change endocannabinoid activity. Microbiome profiling (including 16S sequencing) and bacterial genetics will trace which nutrients and bacterial pathways drive that overgrowth. The goal is to map when and where in the gut these changes happen and how they affect disease signs in models relevant to human inflammatory bowel disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with Crohn's disease or other inflammatory bowel conditions whose symptoms may be linked to microbiome imbalances and Enterobacteriaceae overgrowth, or patients interested in contributing microbiome samples to related research.
Not a fit: People whose gut problems are not linked to Enterobacteriaceae or microbiome-driven inflammation, or those with infections caused by other types of pathogens, are unlikely to see direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or reduce harmful E. coli overgrowth in people with Crohn's disease by targeting endocannabinoid signals or the specific nutrients bacteria use.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have connected microbiome disruption and Enterobacteriaceae blooms to gut inflammation, but linking host endocannabinoid signaling to nutrient release that fuels bacterial growth is a newer and less-tested idea.
Where this research is happening
Columbia, United States
- University of South Carolina at Columbia — Columbia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ellermann, Melissa — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Ellermann, Melissa
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.