CD38 and NAD metabolism in scleroderma
Official title: CD38 modulation of NAD metabolism driving scleroderma pathogenesis
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11187263 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at whether changing the activity of CD38 and related NAD metabolism can reduce the scarring that damages organs in people with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $601,753 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR081788-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11187263 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults with systemic sclerosis who are willing to provide skin or tissue biopsies or to be considered for future clinical trials targeting CD38/NAD pathways.
✕Less likely to help
People without systemic sclerosis or those with long-standing, irreversible organ damage from other causes are unlikely to benefit from this line of research in the near term.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are studying skin and other tissue samples from people with systemic sclerosis alongside laboratory and mouse experiments to understand how CD38 and the enzyme NNMT change NAD and nicotinamide levels and drive fibrosis. They will use genetic and drug-based approaches in mice to see whether blocking CD38 prevents or reverses organ scarring, and test whether inhibiting NNMT stops fibrotic signals triggered by TGF-β in cells. The team maps which cell types make CD38 or NNMT in patient biopsies to link the lab findings to actual patients and to identify potential drug targets. Overall the work combines patient samples, cell studies, and animal tests to point toward treatments that could be tested in people later.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new therapies that reduce or reverse fibrosis and preserve organ function in people with scleroderma.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work shows that genetic or drug blockade of CD38 protects mice from fibrosis, but applying this approach to people is novel and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Varga, John — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Varga, John
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Angiogenesis imaging in scleroderma to track digital ulcers
A patient-friendly look at using a special imaging tracer to watch blood vessel growth in the hands of people with scleroderma to help manage digital ulcers.
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Cell-level clues to skin scarring in systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma
A study at the University of Pittsburgh is looking at how skin cells and their helpers change at the DNA level in adults and children with systemic sclerosis to find new targets to reduce scarring.
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Pediatric Scleroderma: Mapping Cells and Tissues to Personalize Care
A study will map the different cell types and tissue patterns in skin from children with scleroderma to identify patient-specific disease subtypes that could guide targeted therapies.
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CD38 and NAD metabolism in scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) fibrosis
This grant explores how changes in NAD metabolism related to CD38 and NNMT may drive scarring in systemic sclerosis and tests new ways to stop it.
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ISG15-positive monocytes and SPP1 macrophages in scleroderma lung disease
This grant studies a specific immune cell pathway in systemic sclerosis with lung scarring to help predict how the disease progresses.
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Autoantibodies define scleroderma subgroups with distinct cancer links
Researchers are studying how specific autoantibodies in scleroderma patients relate to cancer timing and risk.
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.