# Transcriptional Signature of Macrophages in SSc

> **NIH NIH R21** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $173,800

## Abstract

SSc is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and available therapeutic options have only limited
efficacy. Macrophages are thought to play a major role in the pathogenesis of SSc dermal disease because
they can alter their phenotype between pro-inflammation and pro-fibrosis/injury resolution. Additionally, recent
advances in high-throughput molecular technologies that analyzed whole tissue skin biopsies from SSc
patients suggest that macrophages are important cellular targets in SSc, but the precise role macrophages
play in SSc dermal fibrosis is unknown. We will take advantage of cutting edge technology that will allow for
isolation of macrophages from skin biopsies using multi-parameter flow cytometry and analyze their gene
expression profile using RNAseq. Skin biopsies will be obtained from healthy control subjects and from
patients with SSc to identify the SSc-specific dermal macrophage signature. We will also obtain skin biopsies
from SSc patients before and post mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) treatment and compare signatures between
treatment responders and non-responders compared to untreated patients. These studies are timely because
recent data from the first randomized double-blinded clinical study suggest that MMF is a useful agent for SSc
skin disease. We hypothesize that macrophages are a potential treatment target for patients with SSc dermal
disease, and that the new knowledge gained from the proposed studies will shed light upon the role that
macrophages play in dermal fibrosis in SSc. These studies, while high-risk, will generate high reward
information that has the potential be to paradigm shifting and is ideal for the R21 grant mechanism.
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## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10005890
- **Project number:** 5R21AR074902-02
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Harris R Perlman
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $173,800
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2021-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10005890

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10005890, Transcriptional Signature of Macrophages in SSc (5R21AR074902-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10005890. Licensed CC0.

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