How the CD74 receptor drives inflammation in alcohol-related liver disease
Receptor Cd74 integrates meta-inflammation in alcohol-associated liver disease
Researchers are looking at how the CD74 protein controls liver inflammation in people with alcohol-related liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11178486 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will use laboratory and animal experiments to see how the signaling pair MIF and CD74 affect liver cells and immune cells during alcohol-related injury. They will remove or alter these proteins in specific cell types (like liver cells and macrophages) to compare effects on fat buildup, cell death, and inflammation. Gene activity and immune-cell analyses will be used to map the pathways that promote damage. The findings aim to point to molecular targets that could be tested in future patient-focused therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with alcohol-associated liver disease, including those with alcoholic hepatitis, would be the likely candidates for future therapies emerging from this research.
Not a fit: Patients whose liver disease is not driven by alcohol (for example viral hepatitis or genetic/metabolic causes) may not benefit from findings specific to alcohol-related inflammation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify new molecular targets (MIF/CD74) that lead to therapies reducing liver inflammation and injury in alcohol-associated liver disease.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal and laboratory studies have linked MIF to alcohol-related liver injury, but targeting CD74 as a treatment approach is relatively new and not yet proven in people.
Where this research is happening
East Lansing, United States
- Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences — East Lansing, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Poulsen, Kyle — Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Poulsen, Kyle
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.