How IL-37 supports regulatory immune cells
The role of IL-37 in human regulatory T cells
This work looks at whether higher IL-37 in human regulatory T cells helps them better control harmful inflammation for people with autoimmune or inflammatory conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11378848 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use human blood-derived regulatory T cells and laboratory T cell lines that are engineered to make more IL-37 or a mutant form to see how IL-37 changes cell behavior. They will measure FOXP3 and other molecular markers to determine whether IL-37 stabilizes Treg identity and improves their ability to suppress immune reactions. Transgenic mice expressing IL-37 will be used as supporting models because normal mice do not produce IL-37. The goal is to map the molecular steps by which IL-37 controls Treg function so the findings could guide future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be adults with autoimmune or inflammatory conditions or healthy volunteers willing to donate blood for immune cell studies.
Not a fit: People whose health problems are unrelated to immune overactivity or regulation (for example, purely structural or non-immune genetic conditions) are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to boost regulatory T cells and reduce autoimmune or inflammatory disease activity.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows IL-37 has broad anti-inflammatory effects and can promote tolerogenic dendritic cells, but applying IL-37 to stabilize human regulatory T cells is a relatively new direction.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fujita, Mayumi — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Fujita, Mayumi
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.