Red blood cells' TLR7 and inflammation in sepsis
Investigating the function of RBC-TLR7 in Sepsis
Finding out whether a receptor on red blood cells called TLR7 helps trap harmful RNA and calm inflammation in people with sepsis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11323567 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have sepsis, researchers will study small blood samples taken from critically ill patients to see whether TLR7 on red blood cells binds cell-free RNA during illness. They will compare findings in human samples with lab-made (synthetic) RNAs and with experiments in mice engineered to lack TLR7 specifically in red blood cells. The team will map where TLR7 sits inside red blood cells and measure how much RNA the cells carry and how that changes immune signaling. The work combines patient samples and animal models to test whether red blood cells help reduce harmful inflammation in sepsis.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who are critically ill with sepsis and treated at participating hospitals who can provide blood samples.
Not a fit: People without sepsis, those not hospitalized, or those unable/unwilling to give blood samples would not directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If confirmed, this could reveal a new way red blood cells help control inflammation and point to treatments that limit organ injury and death from sepsis.
How similar studies have performed: Preliminary lab data from this team and others show red blood cells can express TLR7 and bind RNA, but translating that finding toward therapies is new and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mangalmurti, Nilam S. — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Mangalmurti, Nilam S.
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 below.