Understanding how hormones affect muscle energy use differently in men and women
Activated ER alpha as compensation for HuR controlled lipid oxidation in skeletal muscle
This project explores how a protein called HuR and the hormone estrogen affect how our muscles burn fat for energy, looking for differences between males and females.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Martin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Martin, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180643 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our muscles need to be flexible in how they use fuel, like fat, for energy. We've noticed that male mice without a specific protein called HuR in their muscles have trouble burning fat, but female mice without HuR don't have this problem. This suggests that female bodies might have a way to make up for the missing protein, possibly through the hormone estrogen. We want to find out if activated estrogen receptors can help muscles burn fat, especially when the HuR protein isn't working as it should. This will help us understand why men and women might process energy differently in their muscles.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research does not directly involve human patients but aims to understand biological processes relevant to individuals with metabolic diseases.
Not a fit: Patients not interested in the basic science of muscle metabolism and sex differences in energy use may not find direct benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, sex-specific ways to help people manage metabolic conditions where their bodies struggle to use fuel efficiently.
How similar studies have performed: While the specific mechanism of ERα compensating for HuR in sex-specific lipid oxidation is novel, previous research has established roles for HuR and estrogen in metabolism.
Where this research is happening
Martin, United States
- University of Tennessee Martin — Martin, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Warfel, Jaycob Dalton — University of Tennessee Martin
- Study coordinator: Warfel, Jaycob Dalton
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.