# Novel biomarkers as a clinical tool for excessive alcohol use screening

> **NIH NIH R01** · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · 2020 · $355,348

## Abstract

Project Summary
Excessive alcohol use (EAU) is one the leading causes of preventable injury and death in the Unites States.
Timely intervention and effective treatment of EAU relies on early detection of excessive drinking, usually
through clinical screening. Delayed recognition of early signs and symptoms of EAU would lead to missed
opportunities to interrupt the accumulation of alcohol exposure and result in suboptimal care outcomes in
alcohol-related health conditions. There is an urgent need for increased vigilance and action to identify and to
counsel patients that are at-risk for EAU. Using human transcriptome along with proteomic approaches, we
have uncovered markers that are potentially linked to the EAU pathophysiology. We found that activation
of monocytes by alcohol (sCd14, sCD163, and urine neopterin) and suppression of CD4+ follicular T cells
(sCD40) are strongly associated with levels of alcohol consumption. We believe that with the aid of modern
analytical techniques, these novel biomarkers could be used as basis for a new mechanistic-based
screening strategy that have significantly improved the diagnostic performance. To test this hypothesis,
we will pursue the following aims: Specific Aim 1. To ascertain the diagnostic potential of these novel serum
and urinary markers for EAU; Specific Aim 2. To construct a screening score that represents the EAU
probability of individual subject by using modern semiparametric regression techniques and markers identified
in Aim#1; and Specific Aim 3. To validate the screening model. If successfully implemented, results from this
project could revolutionize the practice of EAU screening and diagnosis. The identification of the novel
markers also provides a scientific basis to better understand the mechanisms underlying the health sequelae of
EAU.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9985582
- **Project number:** 5R01AA025208-05
- **Recipient organization:** INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Suthat Liangpunsakul
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $355,348
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-08-10 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9985582

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9985582, Novel biomarkers as a clinical tool for excessive alcohol use screening (5R01AA025208-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9985582. Licensed CC0.

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