Today, Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) announced 11 research grants totaling more than $14 million awarded in the first two quarters of 2024, including a $4.1 million grant to demonstrate how IgA autoantibodies play a significant role in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Another $4.2 million grant supports the study of a newly discovered pathway that protects cells against outer membrane damage caused by bacterial toxins or our own immune responses, with both funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The first $4.1 million NIH grant (R01AI185925) is led by BRI scientist Jessica Hamerman, PhD. Her research team is focused on how certain previously understudied antibodies in lupus can increase immune cell activity, which leads to a stronger inflammatory response. While most earlier lupus research focused on a type of antibody called IgG, this study reviewed the role of IgA and offers promising new directions for treatments.
“Together, these results highlight a new mechanism by which IgA autoantibodies contribute to SLE pathogenesis,” said Dr. Hamerman. “We’re excited to investigate the possibility of new clinical approaches that utilize IgA, which might be a better diagnostic for lupus development than the currently used IgG. It’s also possible that IgA and its receptor will be good targets for therapeutic intervention.”
