# Cellular and spatial mechanisms underlying how inflammatory cytokines impact postprandial glucose responses in health and disease

> **NIH NIH DP1** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $787,500

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The concept that inflammatory cytokine signaling underlies insulin resistance and thus contributes to
pancreatic beta cell failure and type II diabetes is widely accepted. It is less clear, however, if cytokine-targeted
therapeutics might improve glycemic excursions and insulin responses in humans, even though cytokine
neutralizing therapies are widely used to treat other diseases, including many diseases that heighten risk for
type II diabetes. The present catalyst proposal is prompted by an observation in our ongoing work in human
subjects that unexpectedly suggests a novel cytokine(s) target that may hold promise for normalizing glucose
metabolism in humans with inflammatory and metabolic disease. We will carry out further studies in human
subjects already taking therapeutics targeting the neutralization of this cytokine(s) to confirm and delineate its
effects and to consider mechanism of action. This research will be linked to work in mouse models, as hints in
the literature related to the cytokine(s) suggest that work in mouse will hold at least partial parallels with the
human and can be used to delineate details in the mechanism of action, including the cell sources of the
cytokine(s) and the spatial tissue environment in which the cytokine acts to undermine glucose metabolism.
The work may lead to a repurposing of existing therapeutics to treat diseases linked to poor glucose
metabolism.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10064841
- **Project number:** 1DP1DK126190-01
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Gwendalyn J Randolph
- **Activity code:** DP1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $787,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-11 → 2022-09-10

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10064841

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10064841, Cellular and spatial mechanisms underlying how inflammatory cytokines impact postprandial glucose responses in health and disease (1DP1DK126190-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10064841. Licensed CC0.

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