How the StarD5 cholesterol transporter affects fatty liver disease
Official title: An ER Stress Inducible START Domain Cholesterol Transport Protein, StarD5; and Unique Role in Fatty Liver Disease
Funded at VA Veterans Administration Hospital · NIH-11213944 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether a protein called StarD5 that moves cholesterol inside liver cells helps cause or prevent fatty liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Veterans Administration Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005895-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11213944 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), especially those with early fat buildup or signs of insulin resistance, would be most relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
People with alcohol-related liver disease, liver conditions unrelated to cholesterol handling, or those with advanced cirrhosis are unlikely to see direct benefit from this specific work.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are studying a liver protein named StarD5 that becomes active when liver cells are stressed and helps move cholesterol around inside the cell. They use lab experiments with cells and animal models and examine liver tissue to see whether changes in StarD5 alter cholesterol levels, fat buildup, insulin resistance, or signals that lead to scarring. The team focuses on how poor cholesterol handling in the cell’s endoplasmic reticulum might push simple fat accumulation toward inflammation and fibrosis. Results could point to molecular steps that new treatments might target to keep fatty liver from getting worse.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that target cholesterol transport in liver cells to prevent fatty liver from progressing to inflammation and scarring.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory studies have linked cholesterol metabolism and ER stress to worsening fatty liver, but directly targeting StarD5 is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Veterans Administration Hospital
Richmond, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pandak, William M — VA Veterans Administration Hospital
- Study coordinator: Pandak, William M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Role of fat droplets in liver fat and inflammatory signals in NAFLD
A study at Johns Hopkins will explore how fat droplets in the liver influence molecules that drive inflammation and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adults.
-
Them1 Inhibitors to Help Treat Fatty Liver Disease
Aims to develop and test small molecule drugs that block Them1 to help people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
-
How the TET1 gene affects non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Researchers are looking at whether changes in the TET1 gene and DNA 'tagging' (methylation) play a role in adult non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
-
Hepatocellular Genetic Clues for Fatty Liver in Hispanic Adults
A large NIH grant helps researchers study why fatty liver develops in Hispanic adults and how genetics interact with lifestyle to affect risk.
-
Toxic fats, vitamin B12 loss, and AHR may drive fatty liver disease
This grant looks at how certain environmental chemicals may trigger liver damage linked to fatty liver disease and how a vitamin found in the blood could be affected.
-
Glutamine and T cells in fatty liver disease
A study explores how liver glutamine levels affect inflammatory CD4+ T cells in fatty liver disease to find potential new ways to reduce liver inflammation.
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.