# Elucidation of mechanisms governing the activities of synovial fibroblasts

> **NIH NIH R01** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $332,904

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Fibroblast-like synoviocytes populate the synovial surfaces of the joints. They have critical roles in the
maintenance of joint health and in the pathology of arthritic diseases. Our data suggest that the SOXC
group of transcription factors are key players in implementing the pathological properties of fibroblast-
like synoviocytes. SOXC proteins were previously shown to be critical for the survival of mesenchymal
and neural progenitor cells that give rise in the embryo to multiple body structures, including the
skeleton, heart, and nervous system. They were also shown to promote the proliferation, migration and
invasive properties of many types of cancer cells. Our preliminary results suggest that SoxC genes
contribute to the aggressive cancer cell-like behavior of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in arthritic diseases.
The overarching hypothesis of this project is that the biological activities of SOXC proteins in the
fibroblast-like synoviocytes significantly contribute to the inflammation-mediated degeneration of
articular cartilage and bones in arthritis and related joint diseases. Our primary goal is to determine
whether the SoxC genes are involved in regulation of gene expression and cellular behavior of
fibroblast-like synoviocytes that are under the stress of inflammation. We will then investigate the
upstream molecular mechanisms that regulate the activities of SOXC proteins in fibroblast-like
synoviocytes. Next, we will test whether blocking SOXC protein functions in fibroblast-like synoviocytes
reduces joint degeneration in arthritic diseases. We anticipate that our new findings will lead to a more
profound understanding of the molecular regulation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in joint pathologies.
These new findings will likely impact the design of new, successful strategies for synovial fibroblast-
based joint repair and regeneration therapies for patients suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
arthritis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10240650
- **Project number:** 5R01AR070736-05
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Pallavi Bhattaram
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $332,904
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-06 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10240650

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10240650, Elucidation of mechanisms governing the activities of synovial fibroblasts (5R01AR070736-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10240650. Licensed CC0.

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