How the IDO2 protein shapes harmful and protective immune responses in autoimmune disease
Official title: Defining the cellular and molecular mechanism of IDO2 function driving autoimmune vs.protective immune responses
Funded at Lankenau Institute for Medical Research · NIH-11257303 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at the protein IDO2 to understand how it makes immune cells cause or prevent autoimmune disease, aiming to help people with conditions like inflammatory arthritis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lankenau Institute for Medical Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Wynnewood, United States) |
| Project start | January 8, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $467,203 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR083882-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11257303 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for future related studies or sample donation would be people with autoimmune diseases, particularly those with autoantibody-driven inflammatory arthritis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are not driven by B cell autoantibodies or that do not involve the IDO2 pathway may not benefit from results targeting IDO2.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers will use animal models of inflammatory (autoantibody-driven) arthritis together with genetic and drug-based approaches to see how IDO2 controls B cell behavior and inflammation. They discovered IDO2 has a non-enzymatic role that can drive autoimmune responses and are exploring a linked pathway involving the transcription factor Runx1. The team will map the cellular and molecular steps by which IDO2 promotes disease in order to pinpoint where a therapy might block harmful effects while sparing protective immunity. Results could guide development of targeted treatments or biomarkers for people with autoimmune conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new therapies that reduce autoimmune inflammation without broadly weakening the immune system.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier animal work indicates IDO2 affects autoantibody-driven arthritis, but the newly described non-enzymatic signaling role and its connection to Runx1 are novel and not yet tested in people.
Where this research is happening
-
Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
Wynnewood, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mandik-Nayak, Laura — Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
- Study coordinator: Mandik-Nayak, Laura
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.