# Novel approached to prevent diet-induced obesity via lacteal junctions

> **NIH NIH R01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $376,875

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Lymphatic vessels control fluid homeostasis and immune cell circulation in all body tissues, and lipid
absorption in the small intestine. Their dysfunction is implicated in cardiovascular, metabolic and
neurodegenerative disease. Normal lymphatic function requires a division of labor between terminal
lymphatic capillaries that uptake lymph via open button junctions, and collectors that transport lymph to the
veins, which have tighter zipper junctions. We here address the role of LEC button and zipper junctions in
health and disease, with the hypothesis that LEC junction manipulation offers novel opportunities in clinical
settings. We have shown that zippering of intestinal lacteals prevents chylomicron absorption and renders
mice resistant to diet-induced obesity, prompting us to investigate molecular mechanisms inducing formation
of buttons and zippers and test their implication in lipid uptake, obesity and inflammation. Collectively, the
proposed studies will elucidate an as yet understudied aspect of endothelial biology and identify molecular
mechanisms and novel approaches based on this knowledge that could be useful to reduce obesity via
zipper formation and may be effective in diseases associated with lymphatic dysfunction via buttons.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10394841
- **Project number:** 5R01DK120373-04
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Anne Christine Eichmann
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $376,875
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10394841

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10394841, Novel approached to prevent diet-induced obesity via lacteal junctions (5R01DK120373-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10394841. Licensed CC0.

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