Targeting arginine metabolism to treat fatty liver and insulin resistance
Official title: Leveraging arginase biology against metabolic disease
Funded at Indiana University Indianapolis · NIH-11381030 · Data updated 2026-11-12
It explores whether changing how the liver handles the amino acid arginine can reduce fatty liver and improve insulin resistance for people with NAFLD/NASH.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $440,154 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK131009-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381030 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), particularly those with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, would be the most relevant candidates for therapies coming from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with liver disease from other causes (like viral hepatitis, autoimmune or alcohol-related liver disease) or those with advanced cirrhosis are less likely to benefit from the arginine-targeted approaches described here.
What this research studies
You would hear that the team found shifting arginine levels in the liver can mimic the benefits of fasting in animals. They identified an enzyme called Arg2 that rises with fasting and, when increased in liver cells, lowers liver fat, inflammation, and improves insulin resistance in diabetic mice. The researchers will use mouse models and laboratory studies of liver cells to map how Arg2, arginine sensing, autophagy, and inflammation interact. Their goal is to identify druggable signaling steps that could be turned into new treatments for NAFLD and NASH.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that reduce liver fat, lower inflammation, and improve blood sugar control in people with NAFLD/NASH.
How similar studies have gone: Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting are known to improve fatty liver in people, and early animal work shows Arg2 manipulation can reproduce those benefits, but arginine-targeting treatments remain novel and have not yet been tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Indiana University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Debosch, Brian Jesse — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Debosch, Brian Jesse
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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.