How immune CD8 T cells can damage the brain's protective barrier
CD8 T cell mediated disruption of Blood Brain Barrier Tight Junctions
The team is seeing if a type of immune cell (CD8 T cells) can cause the blood-brain barrier to leak and lead to brain swelling in people with cerebral malaria and related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326757 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work uses established mouse models of cerebral malaria and a peptide-triggered model to look at how CD8 T cells engage brain blood vessels and disrupt tight junction proteins. Researchers study both acute responses during infection and long-lasting tissue-resident CD8 cells that can trigger barrier breakdown months after an infection. The project examines how repeated immune insults produce vascular leakage, swelling, and neurological injury to learn what drives these changes. Results are intended to guide future ways to prevent or limit brain swelling in cerebral malaria and other diseases with blood-brain barrier disruption.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People affected by or at risk for cerebral malaria, or those willing to provide clinical samples related to blood-brain barrier injury, would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: People without conditions involving blood-brain barrier disruption or those seeking immediate clinical treatment rather than contributing to basic research are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to ways to prevent or reduce blood-brain barrier breakdown and dangerous brain swelling in cerebral malaria and similar disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies have shown CD8 T cells can cause blood-brain barrier damage in malaria models, but turning that knowledge into human treatments remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- Mayo Clinic Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Aaron J — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Aaron J
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.