Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 5F31AI191759-02
Influence of Maternal IgA on Neonatal iNKT Cell Development and Gluten Sensitive Enteropathy.
Recipient
University of South Carolina at Columbia, Columbia, SC, United States
Award Amount
$42,354.00
Ceiling
$42,354.00
Awarded
May 07, 2026
Identifier
5F31AI191759-02
This award funds research investigating how maternal IgA transferred through breast milk influences neonatal immune development and the prevention of gluten sensitivity, aiming to uncover mechanisms that could lead to new treatments for gluten-related disorders.
Description
Early maternal-offspring interactions, such as the transfer of IgA through breast milk, are key in shaping mucosal immunity and microbiota composition. Maternal IgA may play a role in the prevention of gluten sensitivity by coordinating gut microbial colonization to establish/reinforce tolerogenic iNKT cell development during the neonatal period. Using a series of novel models, the completion of experiments will address a critical gap in understanding the role of the maternal environment in susceptibility to gluten-related disorders, potentially leading to new therapeutic strategies.