How the liver controls fat and lipoprotein release
Mechanisms regulating lipoprotein secretion and lipid metabolism
Researchers are looking at how a protein called VMP1 helps liver cells package and release fats, which could matter for people with fatty liver disease (NAFLD/NASH).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kansas Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11245781 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project studies a protein named VMP1 that helps liver cells manage and export fats, using lab-grown liver cells and zebrafish models to follow what goes wrong when VMP1 doesn't work properly. The team will examine how VMP1 affects secretion of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and cellular processes like autophagy and cholesterol handling. By mapping the molecular steps, researchers hope to understand why lipids build up in hepatocytes and how that drives NAFLD progressing to NASH. Findings from these basic lab experiments could guide future tests in patients or the development of new drug targets.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), especially those with obesity, diabetes, or high blood lipids, would be most relevant to future clinical work stemming from this research.
Not a fit: Patients whose liver disease is caused by alcohol, viral hepatitis, or specific genetic metabolic disorders may not benefit directly from findings that focus on VMP1 and NAFLD mechanisms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or treat fatty liver disease and its progression to NASH.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory work in liver cell lines and zebrafish has shown VMP1 affects lipid handling, but translating this novel pathway to human treatments has not yet been done.
Where this research is happening
Kansas City, United States
- University of Kansas Medical Center — Kansas City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ni, Hongmin — University of Kansas Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Ni, Hongmin
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.