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Dysregulation of Aging Regulatory T-Cell Response in Autoimmune Disease

Award Number: F31AI200271
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 11/28/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/27/2027

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Dysregulation of Aging Regulatory T-Cell Response in Autoimmune Disease - PROJECT SUMMARY Autoimmunity is an attack on the self by the immune system, and regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a role in maintaining tolerance to self-antigens. During demyelinating disease, Tregs become a driver of myelin breakdown and disease progression. This process is exacerbated during aging when Tregs are less suppressive than their younger counterparts, leading to more severe disease progression. Our overall goal is to understand the changes that occur in Tregs during aging that led to autoimmune disease. T cell effector function is dictated by a strong interaction via TCR with pMHC from antigen-presenting cells. Weakened interaction between TCR: pMHC could contribute to this tolerance breakdown. This work focuses on the central hypothesis that older individuals have more severe demyelinating disease because of fewer functional Tregs. Diagnosis of demyelinating disease over the age of 50 typically leads to a primary progressive disease pathology for which there are no current treatments. Treg function is dictated via the length of the TCR: pMHC bond lifetime, and our preliminary data show that it is decreased in aged Tregs. A decrease in bond lifetime could contribute to the decrease in suppressive function we have also seen in aged Tregs. CTLA4 is an inhibitory costimulatory molecule that prevents a secondary signal to prevent T cell activation and is a major regulator of Treg suppressive function. Thus, I hypothesize that Treg age decreases TCR: pMHC and CTLA4: CD80/86 bond lifetime. My proposal will address the change in Treg kinetics leading to dysfunction during aging that can cause autoimmunity. In the following studies, we will test the parameters of Treg function in an aged context during a naïve and an autoimmune context. This study will be the first to address the change in Treg function during aging based on changing T cell kinetics. We expect to observe diminished functional ability and worsened disease upon completing this project.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $38,914 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF UTAH	201 PRESIDENTS CIR	SALT LAKE CITY	UT	84112	SALT LAKE	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	5/28/2026	NEW	$38,914
														Subtotal = $38,914

Grand Total All Awards = $38,914

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Dysregulation of Aging Regulatory T-Cell Response in Autoimmune Disease

Award Number: F31AI200271

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 11/28/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/27/2027

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