How the liver's ketone production affects muscle loss and recovery in pancreatic cancer
Elucidating the role of hepatic ketogenesis in pancreatic cancer cachexia and recovery
This project looks at whether helping the liver make ketones can prevent muscle wasting and aid recovery for people with pancreatic cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11457142 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You will hear about work aiming to explain why many people with pancreatic cancer lose muscle despite eating. Researchers focus on how inflammation and the liver protein STAT3 stop the liver from switching to ketone production during times of low nutrition. They use lab models, genetic tools, and molecular assays (including ATAC-seq) to find the signals that block liver fat use. The team plans to test whether restoring liver ketogenesis can stop or reverse muscle loss and improve recovery after cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who are experiencing or at risk for cachexia (loss of skeletal muscle mass) would be the ideal candidates for this line of research.
Not a fit: People without pancreatic cancer or those whose muscle loss is driven by causes unrelated to liver ketogenesis or STAT3 signaling are unlikely to benefit from these specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new treatments that prevent or reverse cancer-related muscle wasting, improving strength, quality of life, and eligibility for cancer therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Early animal studies from this group show restoring liver ketogenesis can prevent cachexia in mice, but translating this approach to human patients remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
North Chicago, United States
- Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci — North Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Arneson-Wissink, Paige C — Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci
- Study coordinator: Arneson-Wissink, Paige C
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.