Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 5R01AI175185-04
Biochemical Mechanisms for Sustained Humoral Immunity
Recipient
University of Pennsylvania
Award Amount
$620,113.00
Ceiling
$620,113.00
Awarded
January 29, 2026
Identifier
5R01AI175185-04
NIH grant awarded to University of Pennsylvania to study biochemical mechanisms controlling antibody-secreting plasma cell survival, focusing on P2rX4 and Panx3 roles, aiming to develop strategies to deplete problematic plasma cells.
Description
This project aims to evaluate the role of the purinergic receptor P2rX4 in the survival and function of antibody-producing plasma cells. The study hypothesizes that long-lived plasma cells in the bone marrow maintain antibody secretion and avoid cell death by sensing extracellular ATP via P2rX4, with eATP produced locally by osteoblastic cells through Panx3. Inhibition of P2rX4 or Panx3 is predicted to deplete long-lived plasma cells and reduce serum antibody titers, including disease-associated antibodies.