How the enzyme ALCAT1 sparks inflammation in obesity
Cellular mechanisms of NLRP3 activation by ALCAT1 in diet-induced obesity
This project looks at whether a fat-tissue enzyme called ALCAT1 causes harmful inflammation that can make insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes worse in adults with diet-related obesity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Science Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11294288 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use lab-grown cells and diet-induced obesity mouse models to see how ALCAT1 changes mitochondrial lipids and triggers the NLRP3 inflammasome, a pathway that releases inflammatory signals like IL-1β. They will alter ALCAT1 levels and measure resulting inflammation, caspase-1 activity, and effects on insulin sensitivity and metabolic health. The team will also compare findings to human-relevant samples or data when possible to look for the same molecular signs in people with obesity.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with diet-related obesity who have insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes would be the most relevant candidates for future studies stemming from this work.
Not a fit: People without obesity or metabolic disease, or those whose diabetes is driven mainly by non-inflammatory causes, are unlikely to see direct benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new ways to reduce obesity-linked inflammation and help prevent or improve insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes by targeting ALCAT1 or the NLRP3 pathway.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research supports a role for NLRP3-driven inflammation in obesity-related insulin resistance, but linking ALCAT1 as a prion-like regulator of NLRP3 is a relatively new and still-unproven idea.
Where this research is happening
San Antonio, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Science Center — San Antonio, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shi, Yuguang — University of Texas Hlth Science Center
- Study coordinator: Shi, Yuguang
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.