# Regulation of IL10 production in CD8+ T cells during Flu infection by tyrosine kinase Itk

> **NIH NIH R01** · CORNELL UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $389,229

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract
Influenza (flu) infection is the leading cause of respiratory infection, causing 3-5 million cases of severe illness
and greater than 500,000 deaths worldwide. While flu vaccines are effective at reducing the mortality and
morbidity of flu infections, clearance of virus relies on the development of a strong immune response, which
can also cause immunopathology. This makes this work highly significant. The production of the
immunosuppressive cytokine IL10 by viral specific CD8+ T cells is critical in limiting the immunopathology
during flu infection, however the timing of this IL10 production is critical, too early and it suppresses the
immune response, too late and immunopathology and morbidity results. Understanding how IL10 production by
CD8+ T cells is regulated is critical for understanding how to control this immunopathology, however, this is
incompletely understood. Based on our results, we have developed the hypothesis that Itk regulates the
development of IL10-producing CD8+ T cells, thus controlling immunopathology during influenza A
infection. We propose experiments in three specific aims that will determine the role of Itk in the development
of IL10-producing CD8+ T cells and immunopathology during Influenza A infection, in the suppressive function
of IL10-producing CD8+ T cells, and the mechanism by which Itk regulates IL10 production in CD8+ T cells.
This work is extremely innovative as we utilize novel and unique transgenic mice and approaches, and have
exciting preliminary data that when fleshed out, will provide information on how IL10 is regulated in virus
specific T cells to control virus-induced immunopathology, morbidity and mortality.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10165477
- **Project number:** 5R01AI138570-04
- **Recipient organization:** CORNELL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Avery August
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $389,229
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-06-18 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10165477

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10165477, Regulation of IL10 production in CD8+ T cells during Flu infection by tyrosine kinase Itk (5R01AI138570-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10165477. Licensed CC0.

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