How the immune system’s CD4+ T cells in women might prevent chemotherapy-related nerve pain
Official title: Novel expression of MHC class II on DRG neurons and its role in promoting antinociceptive CD4+ T cells in females during chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
Funded at University of New England · NIH-11365153 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in mice explores whether female immune cells in nerve tissue can lessen pain from chemotherapy, with potential implications for preventing CIPN in women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New England NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Biddeford, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $342,189 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA267554-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365153 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for related future trials are women undergoing chemotherapy who are at risk for CIPN.
✕Less likely to help
Results may be more applicable to basic mechanisms in animals initially and not immediately benefit all CIPN patients.
What this research studies
This project looks at why women may experience different levels of nerve pain from chemotherapy (paclitaxel) and whether a specific type of immune cell in nerve tissue, CD4+ T cells, helps reduce the pain. Researchers will compare male and female mice, including estrogen-competent females, to see how CD4+ T cells in the dorsal root ganglia respond to chemotherapy and whether they release anti-inflammatory signals. They plan to test what happens when those T cells are reduced or altered and to explore the role of MHC class II expression on nerve cells in guiding this immune response. Findings could point to sex-specific strategies to prevent CIPN in patients receiving chemotherapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to sex-tailored strategies to prevent or lessen chemotherapy-induced neuropathy in women.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show sex differences in immune responses affecting pain; this project extends those findings to nerve-immune interactions.
Where this research is happening
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University of New England
Biddeford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goode, Diana J — University of New England
- Study coordinator: Goode, Diana J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Non-invasive, microscopic biomarkers to detect CIPN in chemotherapy patients
This grant aims to develop a non-invasive imaging method to measure nerve changes in patients undergoing chemotherapy to better understand and monitor chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
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Longitudinal study of how body-sense relates to chemotherapy nerve damage
This study follows people with breast or gastrointestinal cancer and healthy controls to see if brain processing of body sensations contributes to chemotherapy-induced nerve damage.
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A new screen for chemotherapy-related nerve problems in young children
A clinician-scientist at Yale is developing a child-friendly survey to quickly screen for nerve-related side effects from cancer treatment in kids from birth to age 5.
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Axonal transport and chemotherapy-related nerve pain
This grant studies why certain cancer patients develop painful nerve damage from chemotherapy and explores ways to prevent or treat it.
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Remote monitoring and nurse follow-up to manage chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
A program uses symptom reporting tools with nurse follow-up to reduce and better manage chemotherapy-induced neuropathy for cancer survivors, during and after treatment.
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Non-opioid pain relief for chemotherapy-related nerve pain using CART II
A study tests a brain-acting peptide called CART II to help reduce pain from chemotherapy-induced nerve damage without opioids.
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.