Do women’s reproductive tract fluids hold clues to rheumatoid arthritis start
Official title: Anti-citrullinated Protein Antibodies in the Female Reproductive Tract
Funded at University of Wyoming · NIH-11374060 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how autoantibodies linked to rheumatoid arthritis appear and change in the female reproductive tract across cycles, pregnancy, and postpartum to understand what might trigger the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wyoming NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Laramie, United States) |
| Project start | August 12, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $226,404 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI195003-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11374060 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women at risk for RA or with RA, and healthy women across menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and postpartum periods.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals with no relation to RA or the female reproductive tract may not directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
RA often starts with specific antibodies called ACPA. The project investigates whether PAD enzymes, NETs, citrullinated proteins, and ACPA shift in the female reproductive tract of mice and women during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and after delivery. It uses samples from the reproductive tract and analyzes them with mass spectrometry to identify proteins that differ between healthy individuals and those at risk for RA or with RA. By mapping these changes, the research aims to uncover potential windows of vulnerability and biological signals that precede RA onset. The work could shed light on why RA is more common in women and how early changes in the FRT relate to disease development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify early biomarkers and a potential site of RA initiation, guiding earlier diagnosis and personalized prevention strategies for women.
How similar studies have gone: Early work suggests sex differences and mucosal sites may influence autoimmunity, but this project explores a novel link in the FRT.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wyoming
Laramie, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cherrington, Brian D. — University of Wyoming
- Study coordinator: Cherrington, Brian D.
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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.