How the gut controls bile acids and cholesterol
Regulation of Intestinal Bile Acid Absorption in Health and Cholesterol-Related Disorders
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · JESSE BROWN VA MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11212808
Researchers are learning how a gut protein that recycles bile acids influences blood cholesterol in people at risk for heart disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | JESSE BROWN VA MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CHICAGO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11212808 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project focuses on a gut transporter called ASBT that helps recycle bile acids and affects fat and cholesterol balance. Scientists are examining how different dietary fats change ASBT's behavior and whether fatty acids attach to the ASBT protein to alter its location and function. They use molecular lab methods (like metabolic labeling and biochemical capture techniques) and model systems to track these changes. The goal is to find ways to lower blood cholesterol when standard drugs do not achieve very low targets.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with high cholesterol or a high risk of cardiovascular disease, especially those whose cholesterol remains elevated despite current treatments.
Not a fit: People without cholesterol problems or those with unrelated health conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to lower blood cholesterol by targeting bile acid uptake in the gut.
How similar studies have performed: Other therapies that alter bile acids have shown cholesterol-lowering effects, but studying ASBT regulation by dietary fats and protein acylation is a newer and less tested approach.
Where this research is happening
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES
- JESSE BROWN VA MEDICAL CENTER — CHICAGO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ALREFAI, WADDAH A. — JESSE BROWN VA MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: ALREFAI, WADDAH A.
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: Cardiovascular Diseases