PPAR‑delta's effect on tumor‑protecting regulatory T cells
Official title: The role of PPARd-controlled CIITA/MHCII expression in Treg's function in tumor immunity
Funded at Salk Institute for Biological Studies · NIH-11294173 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how a protein called PPAR‑delta changes regulatory T cells in ways that can either help tumors hide from the immune system or keep the immune system from attacking the body.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Salk Institute for Biological Studies NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | March 1, 2025 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $237,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI188938-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11294173 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with solid tumors who are interested in future clinical trials that target regulatory T cells or the PPAR‑delta/CIITA/MHCII pathway would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cancer or whose tumors are not driven by Treg‑mediated immune suppression are unlikely to benefit directly from this preclinical work.
What this research studies
Researchers use mice engineered to lack PPAR‑delta specifically in regulatory T cells to see how tumors grow when those cells are altered. They analyze immune cells from tumors using flow cytometry and measure gene activity with RNA sequencing to find changes in antigen‑presentation genes like CIITA and MHCII. The team tests whether lowering CIITA/MHCII in regulatory T cells changes tumor growth using adoptive transfer experiments. Findings will guide whether targeting this pathway could shift Treg behavior to improve cancer immunity or inform autoimmune disease approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify a new target to reduce the immune‑suppressing actions of regulatory T cells in tumors and help improve cancer immunotherapies or guide safer autoimmune treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Related animal studies show that changing CIITA/MHCII in Tregs can alter tumor growth, but linking PPAR‑delta to this pathway in Tregs is a novel, mainly preclinical finding.
Where this research is happening
-
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zheng, Ye — Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- Study coordinator: Zheng, Ye
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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.