Investigating how liver cells communicate in alcoholic liver disease
Official title: Hepatocyte-derived extracellular vesicles in alcoholic liver disease
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-10816603 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how liver cells talk to immune cells when someone has alcoholic liver disease, by checking how tiny signals from damaged liver cells might affect liver health, with the hope of finding new ways to help treat this condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2020 |
| Project end | March 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $581,327 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA028134-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10816603 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with a history of alcohol consumption who are experiencing liver-related issues, such as fatty liver or inflammation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not consume alcohol or have liver disease unrelated to alcohol may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding the communication between liver cells and other immune cells in the context of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). It examines how damaged liver cells release small vesicles that carry important molecular signals, which may influence the progression of liver damage. By studying these interactions, the research aims to uncover the mechanisms that lead to severe liver conditions, potentially paving the way for new treatments. The approach involves analyzing blood samples from models of ALD to track these vesicles and their effects on other cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapeutic strategies for preventing or treating alcoholic liver disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding cell communication in liver diseases, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Feldstein, Ariel — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Feldstein, Ariel
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Microbiome and Innate Immune Response in Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
Researchers are studying how gut bacteria and the body's first-line immune defenses contribute to liver damage from alcohol, with a focus on how a specific bacteria and its toxins affect disease severity.
-
Lipotoxicity and Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
This project studies how fatty acids cause liver cell damage in alcohol-related liver disease to help develop new treatments.
-
NNMT as a Target to Treat Alcoholic Liver Disease
A study to see if blocking an enzyme called NNMT can help people with alcoholic liver disease.
-
How gut fungi may drive alcohol-related liver damage
Researchers are looking at whether specific fungi in the gut make liver damage from heavy drinking worse in people with alcohol-related liver disease.
-
Heat shock protein 90 and alcohol-related liver disease: how macrophages fuel inflammation
This project looks at how a cellular stress protein, HSP90, affects liver inflammation in people with alcohol-related liver disease by focusing on macrophages.
-
Why alcohol-related liver disease can come back after a transplant
Looking at whether an enzyme called CerS6 helps fat build up in the liver and whether measuring CerS6 can help detect or predict return of alcohol-related liver disease before or after a liver transplant.
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.