Understanding how immune regulation in lung transplant recipients could prevent chronic lung rejection
Official title: Local and peripheral mechanisms of T cell-mediated immune regulation after lung transplantation
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11330443 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how immune cells in and around lung transplants keep the body from rejecting the new lung, with a focus on a special type of immune cell and its signals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | May 12, 2015 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $359,267 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI116501-12 |
| Project ID | NIH-11330443 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Lung transplant recipients and individuals at risk of allograft dysfunction who might benefit from therapies that promote immune tolerance.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without a lung transplant or without involvement in allograft tolerance mechanisms may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how Foxp3+ regulatory T cells help maintain tolerance to a lung transplant, including how these cells behave in secondary sites and in the transplanted lung. They will look at amphiregulin and CTLA-4 as possible helpers or barriers to long-term graft acceptance. The work will also examine the role of cells in the tissue around the airways that present antigens and influence immune responses. By understanding these processes, the team hopes to identify targets to prevent chronic dysfunction of the transplanted lung. This project builds on prior findings to map mechanisms that sustain tolerance and to foresee new therapeutic approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to strategies that reduce chronic lung transplant dysfunction and improve graft survival and patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have shown roles for regulatory T cells and tissue-specific immune regulation in transplant tolerance, supporting potential translational impact.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kreisel, Daniel — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Kreisel, Daniel
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Body composition and outcomes after lung transplant
A patient-focused look at how body fat and muscle measurements around the time of lung transplant relate to recovery, complications, and quality of life after surgery.
-
Objective lung-donor quality tools to expand the transplant pool
A lung-transplant-focused project aims to use gene-based risk tools to better judge donor organs and prevent recipient lung dysfunction.
-
Bmp-Cx40 signaling to keep lung blood vessels calm after transplant
A study aims to keep blood vessels in transplanted lungs stable by boosting a specific signaling pathway to reduce injury after transplant.
-
Complement inhibition to protect transplanted lungs from early injury
A small early trial tests whether a drug that blocks a key part of the immune system can prevent damage to new lungs right after transplant.
-
Phase 1 trial of siltuximab for antibody-mediated rejection after lung transplant
A early-stage study tests whether siltuximab can help people who have antibody-mediated rejection after lung transplantation.
-
Targeted delivery of immune-suppressing agents to the lung graft to prevent rejection
A study at Northwestern University will test a new, targeted approach to prevent lung transplant rejection by delivering immune-suppressing drugs directly to the graft while blocking early signals that trigger rejection.
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.