Teaching the immune system to tolerate myelin using lymph node depots
Defining the induction and maintenance of myelin-specific tolerance in T cells and B cells using local lymph node depots
This project tests a lymph node–based method to retrain immune cells to stop attacking myelin in people with multiple sclerosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261785 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing tiny depots placed near lymph nodes that deliver myelin pieces together with calming immune signals to retrain T and B cells. The work aims to boost regulatory immune cells that tolerate myelin and to understand how those tolerant cells are formed and maintained. Experiments combine laboratory studies and preclinical models to map the cellular and stromal processes in lymph nodes that support tolerance. The findings are meant to guide safer, antigen‑specific treatments for MS that leave the rest of the immune system intact.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with multiple sclerosis, especially those with active, myelin‑directed immune responses such as relapsing disease.
Not a fit: Patients whose disease is driven mainly by non‑inflammatory neurodegeneration (advanced progressive MS) or who lack myelin‑specific immune activity may be less likely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce relapses and long‑term disability in MS by specifically stopping myelin-directed immune attacks without broadly weakening immunity.
How similar studies have performed: Related antigen‑specific tolerance approaches have shown promise in animal studies and in early human trials, but durable myelin‑specific tolerance in people remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
College Park, United States
- Univ of Maryland, College Park — College Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jewell, Christopher M — Univ of Maryland, College Park
- Study coordinator: Jewell, Christopher M
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.