# Regulation of Pathogenic Plasma Cells in Human SLE

> **NIH NIH P01** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $1,747,765

## Abstract

Novel Immune Diagnostics of COVID-19 for Acute Infection, Prognosis of Severe Disease, and
Resolution of Infection.
The spreading COVID-19 pandemic has once again highlighted the need to develop better diagnostic tests and
vaccines geared towards the enhancement of effective B cell responses and passive therapies through the
administration of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. Our application, will directly address the development of
novel immune assays to diagnose acute COVID-19 infection, provide prognosis of patients who may develop
severe respiratory complications, and identify immunity and disease resolution in asymptomatic adults during
the course of this pandemic.
Our laboratories with expertise in B cells and plasma cell responses to vaccines and influenza virus infections
provide the basis for a novel diagnostic platform that interrogates circulating antibody secreting cells (ASC) when
a patient is ill. This technology can diagnose the following microbial infections: Influenza virus, Respiratory
syncytial virus (RSV) 1,2, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus 3
, Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile)
(Haddad et al, in review), and Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease). Originally performed with fresh blood ASC in
cumbersome Elispot immunoassays, Drs. Daiss and Lee at MicroB-plex, Inc. have streamlined the assay into a
patented technology that utilizes a cultured supernatant of newly secreted antibodies from isolated blood ASC.
The novel matrix is MENSA, a “media enriched with newly synthesized antibodies” and can be easily multiplexed
with over 10-12 antigens (as shown in preliminary data). The cell free-MENSA matrix can be easily collected and
frozen to evaluate the contemporaneous ASC responses at the time of illness. In addition, a negative MENSA
after diagnosis can demonstrate viral clearance and resolution of the active immune response. In this
supplement, we propose to develop a novel immune-based COVID-19 MENSA assay (1) to diagnose acute
infection and (2) and to prognosticate patients at risk of respiratory failure. In addition, with resolution of
infection, a negative COVID-19 MENSA and positive serum test will show immunity with disease
resolution. All tests will be available for commercialization without a need for licensing specific for this COVID19 pandemic.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10187509
- **Project number:** 3P01AI125180-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Ignacio E. Sanz
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1,747,765
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-06-19 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10187509

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10187509, Regulation of Pathogenic Plasma Cells in Human SLE (3P01AI125180-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10187509. Licensed CC0.

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