Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 5R01AI174064-04
Immune Privilege, CNS Autoimmunity, and Clostridium perfringens Epsilon Toxin
Recipient
WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV, NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES
Award Amount
$662,275.00
Ceiling
$662,275.00
Awarded
May 28, 2026
Identifier
5R01AI174064-04
Research project funded by NIAID to study how specific toxins trigger CNS autoimmunity related to Multiple Sclerosis, aiming to discover mechanisms and therapeutic targets.
Description
This project aims to identify environmental triggers of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), define the molecular and cellular basis of their action, and propose new diagnostic tools and therapeutic targets. It focuses on how Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin (ETX) and Bordetella pertussis toxin (PTX) overcome CNS immune privilege to trigger autoimmunity, and why ETX causes lesions in various brain regions compared to PTX. The project uses genetic, histological, and molecular techniques to identify key pathways and potential therapeutic targets.