How immune cells work together to protect the gut lining
Coordination of Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Intestinal Barrier Defense
This project is finding out how an immune signal called IL-22 helps the gut lining resist infection and inflammation, with relevance for people with inflammatory bowel disease or at risk for colorectal cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11284056 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research looks at how your immune cells use a signal called IL-22 to protect the gut lining. Scientists study this in mice infected with C. rodentium and in lab studies of gut tissues and immune cells to see which cells make IL-22 and how it acts on the epithelium. They link these laboratory findings to human conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer to understand when boosting or blocking IL-22 might help. The goal is to learn when IL-22 keeps the gut barrier healthy versus when it could encourage harmful cell growth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with inflammatory bowel disease, individuals at increased risk for colorectal cancer, or healthy volunteers willing to donate blood or gut tissue samples are the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or those with conditions unrelated to gut inflammation or colorectal cancer are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could point to new ways to strengthen the gut barrier in inflammatory bowel disease or to reduce cancer risk tied to excessive IL-22 signaling.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and laboratory studies have shown IL-22 can both protect the gut and promote tumor growth, so this project builds on established but still unresolved findings.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Weaver, Casey T — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Weaver, Casey T
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.