Cell receptors that control inflammation
Structure, pharmacology and signaling of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in inflammation
Researchers are mapping how certain cell surface receptors control inflammation to guide the development of new anti-inflammatory medicines for people with inflammatory conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248405 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Scientists will use high-resolution imaging (cryo-EM), pharmacology experiments, and computer modeling to see how inflammation-related G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) change shape and send signals across cell membranes. The project focuses on three lipid-sensing receptors: CMKLR1 (ChemR23), GPR32, and GPR84, which respond to mediators that can either promote or resolve inflammation. Using the structures they determine, the team will design and test new molecules that can either block harmful signals or boost resolution pathways. This work builds on earlier structures of related receptors like the C5a receptor and formyl peptide receptors to better understand how drugs bind and change receptor behavior.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: In the future, people with chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, or other conditions driven by excessive inflammation could be candidates for therapies developed from this work.
Not a fit: Patients without inflammatory conditions or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic laboratory research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new targeted drugs that reduce harmful inflammation or enhance the body's natural resolution of inflammation in conditions like arthritis, asthma, or autoimmune disease.
How similar studies have performed: Structure-based studies of GPCRs have previously clarified how drugs bind and have guided the development of drug candidates, though turning those discoveries into approved therapies takes substantial time.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Cheng — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Cheng
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.