How CD4 T Cells Change in Schistosoma-Related Pulmonary Hypertension
Official title: Activation, Phenotype and Function of CD4 T Cells in Schistosoma-Pulmonary Hypertension
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11418504 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how certain immune cells behave in a parasite-linked form of high blood pressure in the lungs, aiming to uncover why inflammation helps drive the disease and how it could be treated.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | December 15, 2016 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $370,923 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL135872-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11418504 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with schistosomiasis who are at risk for or have developed pulmonary hypertension, or who can contribute biospecimens for translational analyses.
✕Less likely to help
People without schistosomiasis or PAH are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific study.
What this research studies
Researchers are exploring how adaptive and innate immune responses interact in Schistosoma-associated pulmonary hypertension using a mouse model and human biospecimens. The study follows prior findings that activated CD4 T cells, monocytes, and TGF-β signaling contribute to vascular remodeling, and it will test how these immune pathways link to PAH. By examining human samples from people with severe schistosomiasis, the team hopes to identify biomarkers that reflect disease presence and progression. The work includes translational analyses to bridge basic mechanisms with potential clinical implications, with an emphasis on understanding disease drivers beyond single cytokines. Overall, the project aims to map immune interactions that could become targets for future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify immune pathways and biomarkers that lead to new treatments or strategies to monitor schistosomiasis-related PAH.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research suggests immune mechanisms drive this condition, and this project extends that work with human biospecimens to strengthen translational relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Graham, Brian Barkley — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Graham, Brian Barkley
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how CD4 T cells fuel schistosomiasis-related lung disease
A study explores how specific immune cells and inflammatory signals in schistosomiasis may contribute to pulmonary hypertension in people affected by the disease.
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CD4 T Cells, Schistosoma, and Pulmonary Hypertension: Understanding How Immune Cells Drive Disease
A human-health focused study uses a mouse model and human samples to explore how immune cells and inflammation may contribute to a lung blood vessel disease linked to schistosomiasis.
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CD4 T Cells and Schistosoma-Related Pulmonary Hypertension
A study to understand how specific immune cells behave in a lung complication caused by schistosomiasis, with the goal of finding targets to prevent or treat it.
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Clinical CT Imaging to identify and subtype pulmonary hypertension in COPD
A new CT imaging approach aims to help doctors detect and classify pulmonary hypertension in people with COPD.
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Right heart remodeling in pulmonary hypertension
In people with pulmonary hypertension, researchers are studying how the right side of the heart changes and why it fails, with the goal of finding new treatments.
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TEMPO-PH: How the right heart adapts in pulmonary hypertension over time
A study to build a detailed molecular portrait of why the right side of the heart fails in pulmonary hypertension and how a common heart medicine might help.
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.