How regulatory T cells keep the immune system balanced by controlling protein production
Regulatory T cells maintain immune homeostasis through translation control
This project looks at how regulatory T cells change protein-making in other immune cells to help prevent autoimmune attacks such as in type 1 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11221032 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers want to understand how a special immune cell (regulatory T cells or Tregs) prevents the immune system from attacking the body. They will measure how Tregs alter protein production in effector CD4 T cells using lab experiments, molecular methods that read which mRNAs are being translated, and animal models. The team will compare cells from healthy and autoimmune contexts to identify specific translation changes. Those findings could point to targets for future therapies to restore immune balance in diseases like type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with autoimmune diseases (for example type 1 diabetes or multiple sclerosis) or those willing to donate blood or tissue samples for research would be most relevant to this project.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment benefits are unlikely to get direct clinical help from this basic laboratory-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new molecular targets for therapies that restore immune tolerance in autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work firmly shows Tregs are essential to prevent autoimmunity, but using translatome-level control as a therapeutic target is a newer idea with limited clinical testing so far.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ziegler, Steven F — Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason
- Study coordinator: Ziegler, Steven F
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.