Stress signals from brown fat that may worsen lupus
The Role of the Adrb3/IL6 Axis in the Impact of Psychosocial Stress on Lupus Pathogenesis
This research explores whether stress makes brown fat release IL-6 that could worsen lupus in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248732 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's view, researchers are using mouse models of systemic lupus to see how repeated psychosocial stress changes immune activity. They will trigger chronic stress in lupus-prone mice and track whether Adrb3-driven IL-6 from brown adipose tissue increases liver signaling, immune activation, and mortality. The team will dissect the Adrb3/IL-6 pathway with molecular and physiological tests to map how stress could drive lupus flares. The goal is to generate clear preclinical data that could guide future human studies or therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: In future human work, ideal candidates would be people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who report stress-related flares and are interested in trials targeting stress-related inflammation.
Not a fit: People without SLE or whose symptoms are unrelated to stress-driven inflammation are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this preclinical project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal a tangible biological link between stress and lupus flares and point to new ways to prevent or reduce stress-driven worsening of disease.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies have shown stress can cause brown fat to release IL-6 and alter immunity, but applying this Adrb3/IL-6 pathway specifically to lupus is a novel and untested step toward human translation.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Andrew — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Wang, Andrew
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.