Myeloid immune cells that may drive autoimmune damage in the brain and spinal cord
Official title: Defining the role of CD11c+CD88+CD317+ myeloid cells as mediators of CNS autoimmunity
Funded at VA North Texas Health Care System · NIH-11212736 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at a specific group of immune cells to understand how they might cause or worsen autoimmune attacks in the brain and spinal cord for people with conditions like multiple sclerosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA North Texas Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2021 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005664-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11212736 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with multiple sclerosis or other autoimmune conditions affecting the brain or spinal cord would be the most relevant population for future therapies based on these findings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-immune neurological disorders or conditions unrelated to CNS autoimmunity are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
From my perspective, researchers are studying a specific immune cell type marked by CD11c, CD88 and CD317 to learn how they might trigger attacks on the brain and spinal cord. They mainly use lab models (mice with MS-like disease), cell-sorting, and antibody tools to track, tag, or remove these cells and observe effects on disease. The team also examines blood and nervous-system tissue to see how these cells move, stick to vessels, and activate other immune cells. The goal is to determine whether blocking or changing these myeloid cells could reduce nerve inflammation and injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets for treatments that reduce relapses or disability in conditions such as multiple sclerosis.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and lab studies have implicated myeloid and microglial cells in MS-like disease, but focusing on the CD11c+CD88+CD317+ subset is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
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VA North Texas Health Care System
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stuve, Olaf — VA North Texas Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Stuve, Olaf
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.