How TP‑R may link alcohol-related liver and heart damage
The Role of TP-R on Alcohol-Induced Multi-Organ Damage: Liver and Heart
This project will see if blocking a molecule called TP‑R can reduce liver and heart damage in people who drink heavily, especially those with obesity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261157 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will look at how the thromboxane‑prostanoid receptor (TP‑R), a molecule involved in inflammation, contributes to liver and heart injury after heavy alcohol use and when combined with obesity. The team will use lab models (including mice lacking TP‑R), tissue and blood analyses, and molecular tests to track inflammation and organ damage. They will compare those lab findings with human-derived samples to link the biology to people with alcohol-associated liver disease and alcoholic cardiomyopathy. The goal is to identify whether targeting TP‑R could point to new treatments that protect the liver and heart.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with a history of heavy alcohol use who have signs of alcohol-related liver disease or alcoholic cardiomyopathy, particularly if they are also obese.
Not a fit: People without alcohol-related liver or heart problems, or whose organ damage is from unrelated causes, are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new therapies that reduce or prevent alcohol- and obesity-related liver and heart damage by targeting TP‑R.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and laboratory studies suggest TP‑R contributes to inflammation and that blocking it can lower organ injury, but applying this approach to alcohol-related liver and heart disease in people is largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Omaha, United States
- University of Nebraska Medical Center — Omaha, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Viswanathan, Saraswathi — University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Viswanathan, Saraswathi
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.