How the liver and gut remove excess cholesterol
Contributions of Hepatic and Intestinal Pathways to Cholesterol Excretion
This research looks at how the liver and intestines remove excess cholesterol to help people with or at risk for atherosclerotic heart disease and fatty liver.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321544 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You will hear about work that follows a cholesterol transporter called G5G8 to see how it moves and is broken down in liver and intestinal cells. Researchers will use newly developed lab tools, cell models, and animal models to compare the liver's and the intestine's roles in getting rid of dietary cholesterol. They will study how an intestinal hormone (FGF15/19) changes where G5G8 sits in cells and how the protein is degraded in lysosomes. The team will also look at genetic variants tied to metabolic syndrome to understand why some people accumulate more cholesterol.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with high cholesterol, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease would be the most relevant candidates for related sample collection or future clinical studies.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to cholesterol handling or those seeking immediate treatment options are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic lab-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to boost cholesterol removal and reduce risk of atherosclerosis and fatty liver disease.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work established that G5G8 is important for sterol transport, but the specific post-translational regulation and the distinct contributions of liver versus intestine are relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
Lexington, United States
- University of Kentucky — Lexington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Graf, Gregory a — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Graf, Gregory 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.