How TRIM6 and ubiquitin affect inflammation during the flu

The Role of TRIM6 and Ubiquitin in Influenza Virus-Induced Pathology

NIH-funded research Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11326205

This work looks at whether the protein TRIM6 and related ubiquitin signals control harmful lung inflammation during influenza infection to help people with severe flu.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionRutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11326205 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Researchers are using mice that lack the TRIM6 protein to see how changes in ubiquitin signaling alter cytokine levels and immune cell recruitment in the lungs during influenza A infection. They measure virus amounts, inflammatory chemokines like CXCL1, and neutrophil infiltration to link molecular changes with lung damage and symptoms. The team will map the specific ubiquitin-driven pathways that tune antiviral versus damaging inflammation. Findings aim to point to ways to reduce dangerous inflammation without necessarily blocking the virus directly.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People who have severe influenza or are at high risk for flu complications would be the most likely candidates for future treatments based on these findings.

Not a fit: People without influenza or whose illness is driven mainly by factors other than inflammation (for example, primary bacterial complications) may not benefit from approaches targeting TRIM6/ubiquitin pathways.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal targets to limit harmful lung inflammation in people with severe influenza, potentially reducing hospitalizations and lung injury.

How similar studies have performed: Research on TRIM family proteins and ubiquitin in antiviral responses exists, but applying TRIM6 and unanchored ubiquitin to promote disease tolerance in flu is a relatively new direction.

Where this research is happening

Newark, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.