SGLT-blocking drugs for cystic fibrosis–related liver disease
Official title: Targeting SGLTs for liver disease in a rabbit model of cystic fibrosis
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11327256 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work asks whether drugs that block SGLT proteins could help people with cystic fibrosis who have liver disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $617,380 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK134361-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11327256 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal future candidates would be people with cystic fibrosis who show signs of CFLD or worsening liver tests, especially those experiencing liver problems after starting modulatory CF drugs like Trikafta.
✕Less likely to help
People with cystic fibrosis who have no liver involvement, or patients whose liver disease is from non-CF causes or advanced irreversible liver failure, are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
From my perspective as someone concerned about CF liver problems, the team is using specially bred cystic fibrosis rabbits that show liver changes similar to people with CFLD to learn what goes wrong in the liver. Researchers will give SGLT inhibitor drugs to these CF rabbits and track bile secretion, liver inflammation, ER stress, fat accumulation in the liver, and blood sugar and lipid control. They will test whether stopping SGLT1 upregulation can break a proposed cycle linking CFTR mutation to metabolic trouble and liver damage. Findings will guide whether SGLT drugs deserve testing in people with CFLD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to SGLT inhibitors as a new way to prevent or reverse cystic fibrosis–related liver disease and help patients whose liver problems worsen on current CF therapies.
How similar studies have gone: SGLT inhibitors are approved for diabetes and have shown metabolic and liver-related benefits in other settings, and the team reports promising preliminary effects in CF rabbits, but human data for CFLD are not yet available.
Where this research is happening
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University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Jie — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Xu, Jie
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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.