How breathing in allergens leads to allergic immune reactions
Official title: Mechanisms of Allergen-induced Type 2 Immunity
Funded at Mayo Clinic Arizona · NIH-11325378 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how inhaled allergens make the immune system produce cells and antibodies that drive asthma, food allergy, and other allergic conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | November 1, 2019 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $578,309 |
| NIH project number | 5R37AI071106-20 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325378 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with allergic asthma, food allergies, or repeated airway allergic reactions who can visit Mayo Clinic Arizona and are willing to provide samples or participate in testing would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals with non-allergic respiratory diseases (for example COPD) or symptoms caused mainly by infections rather than allergic inflammation are less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
This project studies how natural allergens in the airway trigger type 2 immune responses linked to asthma, food allergy, and other allergic diseases. The team focuses on specific immune cells—T follicular helper (Tfh) cells that promote allergen-specific IgE antibodies and tissue-resident Th2 (Trm) cells that drive local type 2 cytokines and eosinophilic inflammation. They build on prior findings and plan laboratory experiments, analysis of tissue or blood samples, and completion of several manuscripts to define how allergen exposure creates different clinical allergy patterns. If human samples or volunteers are involved, participation would likely include visits to Mayo Clinic Arizona for sample collection or testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to prevent or reduce allergy-driven antibody production and tissue inflammation, lowering asthma attacks and severe allergic reactions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work, including this team's earlier funding, has shown distinct roles for Tfh and Trm cells in allergy, but translating those findings into new patient treatments is still largely at an early or preclinical stage.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Arizona
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kita, Hirohito — Mayo Clinic Arizona
- Study coordinator: Kita, Hirohito
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.