Liver cell stress in alcohol-related fatty liver
Hepatocyte Metabolic Stress Response to Alcoholic Fatty Liver
['FUNDING_R21'] · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · NIH-11087707
Researchers are using human liver cells grown in the lab to learn how alcohol causes fat to build up in the liver and how those cells cope, aiming to help people with alcoholic fatty liver.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R21'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11087707 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project grows terminally differentiated human hepatocytes in a lab system designed to mimic alcoholic fatty liver and exposes them to alcohol-related stress. Researchers will track how these human liver cells accumulate fat, handle metabolic strain, and trigger pathways that can lead to inflammation or cell damage. The team uses detailed biochemical and cellular measurements to pinpoint specific mechanisms that make fatty liver worse or allow recovery with abstinence. Findings are intended to point toward targets for future treatments that could stop progression from fatty liver to more serious alcoholic liver disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with alcoholic fatty liver or a history of heavy alcohol use would be the most relevant group for the findings and any future clinical studies that build on this work.
Not a fit: Patients with liver disease from non-alcohol causes or those with very advanced cirrhosis are unlikely to benefit directly from this early lab-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal biological targets that lead to new medicines or approaches to prevent early alcoholic fatty liver from progressing to severe liver disease.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory models using human or animal liver cells have offered useful insights before, but this specific physiological culture of terminally differentiated human hepatocytes is a newer approach that is less tested for translation to patients.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Los Angeles, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SAITO, TAKESHI — UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- Study coordinator: SAITO, TAKESHI
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.
Conditions: Alcoholic Liver Diseases