How skin cells and their signals change in systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma
Official title: Cell epigenetics & communication in systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma skin disease
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11193262 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how skin cells and immune cells behave differently in people with systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma to find biological targets for better treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $234,490 |
| NIH project number | 5P50AR080612-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11193262 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with systemic sclerosis or localized scleroderma who can provide a small skin biopsy or clinical skin assessments would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without scleroderma or those seeking immediate therapeutic benefit rather than participation in laboratory-focused research are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze tiny samples of skin from people with systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma using single-cell RNA sequencing and single-cell ATAC-seq to map which genes and regulatory regions are active in each cell type. They will focus on specific transcription factors (for example FOXP1, HIF1A, IRF7, STAT1 and FOSL2) that may drive scar-forming myofibroblasts. The team will use multiome methods and do laboratory experiments that reduce these transcription factors in fibroblasts to see how the cells' gene activity and chromatin accessibility change. They will also compare immune cell activation patterns with clinical skin scores to connect laboratory findings to how severe the skin disease is.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal the molecular drivers of skin scarring and point to new targeted treatments or markers to track disease activity.
How similar studies have gone: Prior single-cell RNA studies have identified distinct fibroblast and myofibroblast states in scleroderma and preliminary scATAC-seq supports specific transcription factors, but confirming their causal roles with combined epigenetic multiome work and knockdown experiments is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lafyatis, Robert a. — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Lafyatis, Robert a.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Cell-level clues to skin scarring in systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma
A study at the University of Pittsburgh is looking at how skin cells and their helpers change at the DNA level in adults and children with systemic sclerosis to find new targets to reduce scarring.
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Investigating skin cell changes in systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma
This study is looking at how certain skin cells change in people with systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma, which cause painful skin thickening, to find out what drives these changes and how we might improve treatments for those affected.
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Understanding how a cell protein (SLC9A1) drives skin and lung scarring in systemic sclerosis
A five-year NIH grant aims to understand how a specific cell protein called SLC9A1 influences scar-forming cells in systemic sclerosis and related lung disease, with the goal of finding possible therapies.
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Angiogenesis imaging in scleroderma to track digital ulcers
A patient-friendly look at using a special imaging tracer to watch blood vessel growth in the hands of people with scleroderma to help manage digital ulcers.
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From proteins and genes to new treatments for scar-related lung disease
A large NIH grant is working to map the proteins in the lungs of people with systemic sclerosis to find new targets for drugs that could slow or stop lung fibrosis.
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Clinical-Translational Studies in Skin, Lung, and Blood Vessel Problems in Systemic Sclerosis
A NIH grant supports coordinated efforts to understand and improve health for people with systemic sclerosis and related conditions by sharing resources, data, and pilot projects at MUSC.
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.