Receptor Cd74 links inflammation to alcohol-related liver disease
Official title: Receptor Cd74 integrates meta-inflammation in alcohol-associated liver disease
Funded at Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences · NIH-11414919 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand how a specific immune signal called CD74, working with MIF, contributes to liver damage from alcohol and what that could mean for new treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $436,731 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA031250-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11414919 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with or at risk for alcohol-related liver disease who may benefit from future targeted therapies based on MIF-CD74 signaling.
✕Less likely to help
People without alcohol-related liver disease or those not affected by this specific inflammatory pathway may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how inflammatory signals in the liver respond to alcohol use and cause injury. It focuses on macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and its receptor CD74 to see how they interact in liver cells and immune cells during alcohol-related liver disease. The team will use animal models to study where MIF and CD74 act and how blocking their signals might reduce liver inflammation, cell death, and fat accumulation. The ultimate goal is to identify targets for therapies that could help people with alcoholic liver disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal new therapeutic targets to lessen liver inflammation and damage in patients with alcohol-related liver disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked MIF and immune signaling to liver injury, but the precise role of Cd74 in alcohol-related liver disease is not fully established, making this approach exploratory.
Where this research is happening
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Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences
East Lansing, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Poulsen, Kyle — Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Poulsen, Kyle
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.