Immune causes of acquired lipodystrophy
Autoimmune Basis of Acquired Lipodystrophies
This project looks for antibodies made by the immune system that attack fat cells in people with acquired generalized or partial lipodystrophy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177769 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use blood samples from people with acquired generalized lipodystrophy (AGL) and acquired partial lipodystrophy (APL) to search for antibodies that bind proteins in fat cells using Phage ImmunoPrecipitation Sequencing (PhIP-Seq) and human proteome microarrays. They will compare antibody patterns between patients to identify new autoantibody targets beyond the already-known perilipin-1 antibody. The team will study a mouse model lacking the Aire gene to see how loss of immune tolerance to fat-cell proteins leads to inflammation and loss of subcutaneous and visceral fat. Together these experiments aim to connect specific antibodies to how fat cells are damaged and lost in autoimmune lipodystrophy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with unexplained acquired loss of body fat—diagnosed or suspected AGL or APL, especially with signs of autoimmunity—would be the best candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with inherited (congenital) lipodystrophy, obesity without fat loss, or fat loss clearly caused by infection, medication, or surgery are unlikely to benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable blood tests to diagnose autoimmune lipodystrophy earlier and point to new targets for treatments to prevent or restore lost fat.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has identified perilipin-1 autoantibodies in some AGL patients and Aire-/- mice show related fat loss, so this work builds on promising but still incomplete evidence to find additional antibody targets.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Garg, Abhimanyu — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Garg, Abhimanyu
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.