How the protein IL-38 controls fever and inflammation
Official title: Pathogenesis of Fever in Man
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11168734 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work is seeing if IL-38 can calm inflammation and fever in people with autoimmune and other inflammatory conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | December 1, 1986 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $352,831 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI015614-43 |
| Project ID | NIH-11168734 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with autoimmune or other inflammatory conditions who have fevers or uncontrolled inflammation would be the most likely candidates for future trials based on these findings.
✕Less likely to help
People with conditions that are not driven by inflammation, or those seeking immediate treatment today, are unlikely to benefit directly from this preclinical work.
What this research studies
We use gene-edited mice that lack IL-38 to see whether missing this protein makes inflammatory disease and fever worse. Where disease is worse in those mice, we give back human IL-38 to test whether it reduces inflammation. We also study two related receptors (IL-1R6 and IL-1R9) to learn how IL-38 works in the immune system. The experiments combine CRISPR mouse models and laboratory immune measurements to guide possible future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new therapies that use IL-38 or similar drugs to reduce harmful inflammation and fever in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Prior lab studies have shown IL-38 can suppress inflammatory cytokines, but translating this into therapies for patients is still novel and untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dinarello, Charles Anthony — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Dinarello, Charles Anthony
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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.