Restoring immune balance in rheumatoid arthritis
Official title: Cytokine Balance in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Funded at Hospital for Special Surgery · NIH-11260252 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how immune cells in inflamed joints make damaging signals and aims to shift those signals to help people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hospital for Special Surgery NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 10, 2004 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $352,440 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR050401-20 |
| Project ID | NIH-11260252 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with rheumatoid arthritis, especially those with active synovitis who can provide consent for joint or blood samples, would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without rheumatoid arthritis or those unwilling or unable to provide tissue or blood samples are unlikely to benefit or participate.
What this research studies
Researchers study immune cells taken from rheumatoid arthritis joint tissue to learn what turns inflammation on and off. They focus on danger signals from damaged cells (DAMPs) and sensors inside cells called TLR7 and TLR8 that drive cytokine production. Using patient tissue samples and laboratory models, the team manipulates signaling pathways in macrophages to see which changes reduce inflammatory molecules like TNF, IL-6, and IL-1β. The goal is to find ways to push joint immune cells toward resolving inflammation rather than sustaining it.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that reduce joint inflammation and flares by targeting macrophage signaling.
How similar studies have gone: Blocking TNF and other cytokines has proven effective in many patients, but directly targeting TLR7/8-driven macrophage signaling in human RA is a newer approach that is not yet proven as a therapy.
Where this research is happening
-
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ivashkiv, Lionel B — Hospital for Special Surgery
- Study coordinator: Ivashkiv, Lionel B
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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.