Role of a special interferon-responsive T cell in allergies and asthma
Official title: Role of a Novel Interferon Responsive T Cell Subset in Allergy and Asthma
Funded at San Diego Biomedical Research Institute · NIH-11389644 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study explores a unique interferon-responsive T cell type that may influence allergies and asthma, aiming to understand why some people become allergic and how this T cell subset could affect airway inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | San Diego Biomedical Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $492,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI163665-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11389644 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with allergic asthma or with HDM allergy, and nonallergic individuals exposed to aeroallergens, may be relevant for related future studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without any allergen exposure or asthma may have limited relevance to the specific mechanisms studied.
What this research studies
Researchers looked at the tiny differences inside thousands of allergy-related T cells from people with and without asthma to see how they respond to common allergens like house dust mites. They used single-cell sequencing to map the genes active in about 50,000 TH cells and found a distinct IFN-responsive TH cell group (THIFNR) that seems more common in nonallergic individuals. The work also suggests that THIFNR cells might protect against allergy by inhibiting other T cell activation, and they observed these cells in viral contexts as well. This project builds on prior findings to clarify how different T cell subsets contribute to allergic disease and how they might be leveraged for future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of T cell subsets could lead to new approaches for preventing or treating allergic diseases like asthma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work identified THIFNR cells and their potential protective role, but translating this into therapies remains an active area.
Where this research is happening
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San Diego Biomedical Research Institute
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seumois, Gregory — San Diego Biomedical Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Seumois, Gregory
Related research
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Viral and Host Factors in Infant and Child Allergy and Asthma
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How microRNAs control allergy and asthma
This work looks at tiny gene-regulating molecules called microRNAs to find molecular ways to reduce allergic inflammation in people with asthma.
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A newly discovered interferon-responsive immune cell linked to allergies and asthma
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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.