How aging changes lymph node support cells and affects organ transplant success
Lymph node stromal senescence and transplant immunity
This project looks at whether age-related changes in lymph node support cells make it harder for older transplant patients to accept donated organs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321232 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are an older person needing a transplant, researchers will study how structural cells in your lymph nodes called fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs) change with age and become senescent. They will compare aged and young lymph node tissue and use laboratory models to see how senescent FRCs change the immune environment that controls rejection or tolerance. The team will examine how these changes affect treatments that block immune costimulation (like anti-CD40L) and try approaches to reverse the inflammatory, fibrotic changes in aged nodes. Findings will guide ways to improve acceptance of donor organs in older patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults who are on the waitlist for or have recently received a solid organ transplant and who can provide clinical data or tissue samples for study.
Not a fit: People who are not facing organ transplantation or whose transplant problems are due to surgical or non-immune causes are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that help older transplant recipients accept donor organs more reliably and reduce rejection.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies in younger animals showed costimulatory blockade can promote transplant tolerance, but applying these approaches to aged lymph nodes and senescent FRCs is a newer and less-tested area.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abdi, Reza — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Abdi, Reza
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.