How skin cells stick together and signal in pemphigus vulgaris
Keratinocyte adhesion and signaling in the skin blistering disease pemphigus vulgaris
Researchers will look at how the autoantibodies that cause pemphigus vulgaris break connections between skin cells to guide safer treatments for people with the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hershey, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11170592 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be told that scientists are using very high-resolution imaging and computer models to watch how the antibodies in pemphigus vulgaris damage the glue between skin cells called desmosomes. They will use cryo-electron microscopy, live-cell imaging, and molecular dynamics simulations to see changes in desmosome structure and behavior. The team will also study how keratinocytes respond, focusing on calcium signaling, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and the internalization of desmosomal proteins. Together these approaches aim to pinpoint the molecular steps that lead to skin blistering.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris who can provide blood or skin samples or who want to support research into better treatments.
Not a fit: People without autoimmune blistering diseases or those unable or unwilling to give samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this lab-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that prevent blistering without long-term broad immunosuppression.
How similar studies have performed: B-cell directed therapies such as rituximab have improved outcomes for many pemphigus patients, but the proposed high-resolution imaging of desmosome disruption is a relatively novel laboratory approach.
Where this research is happening
Hershey, United States
- Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr — Hershey, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kowalczyk, Andrew P. — Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Kowalczyk, Andrew P.
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.