Role of sex in immune-stromal cell interactions driving Kawasaki disease vasculitis
Official title: Role of Sex in Immune Stromal cell Interactions driving cardiovascular lesions in Kawasaki Disease vasculitis
Funded at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · NIH-11394203 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at why Kawasaki disease causes heart problems in kids and how sex differences affect the immune cell interactions that lead to artery inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $571,173 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL170580-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11394203 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with Kawasaki disease and adults with KD-related vascular involvement, including those who are IVIG-resistant.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without KD or without vascular involvement are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
Kawasaki disease is a childhood vasculitis that can damage the coronary arteries. The study focuses on how sex differences influence immune and tissue cell interactions that drive vascular inflammation and remodeling. Researchers will examine human tissue and model systems to understand IL-1β signaling and the behavior of monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells in KD. The goal is to identify more effective therapies to prevent heart damage in KD patients, including those who are IVIG-resistant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better treatments that prevent coronary artery damage in KD, reducing long-term heart risks for affected children and potentially adults with KD-related vasculopathy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked the NLRP3-IL-1β axis to KD pathogenesis, suggesting that targeting inflammatory pathways can improve outcomes; this study aims to refine those insights with sex-specific analysis.
Where this research is happening
-
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Arditi, Moshe — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Arditi, Moshe
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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.