# Decoding the mechanism of protective and pathological functions of IL-1 during Tuberculosis

> **NIH NIH R56** · ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE · 2020 · $487,002

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Active tuberculosis (TB) is characterized by the failure of the host to control bacterial replication and
pathological inflammation in lungs and other organs. Although antibiotics achieve microbiological cure of this
disease, inflammation persists even after chemotherapy and is associated with impaired lung functions. Recent
studies in humans have shown that genetic polymorphisms in interleukin-1b (a prototypical IL-1 cytokine)
promoter increases the risk of hyperinflammation, and long-term respiratory failure during pulmonary TB. Our
preliminary data in mice reaffirmed this association as interleukin-1 (IL-1) blockade ameliorates exacerbating
inflammation in mouse strains susceptible to TB. IL-1 inhibition therapy is routinely used in the clinic to treat a
number of human diseases where this cytokine acts as a pathogenic mediator. But, the role of IL-1 in TB is
very complex, as expression of this cytokine is pivotal for host defense early during infection. Mice deficient in
this cytokine signaling rapidly succumb to inflammatory TB disease and loss of function genetic polymorphisms
in human IL-1R1 were associated with increased risk for active TB. Given these protective functions of IL-1 in
TB, drugs that act by antagonizing IL-1 signaling may not be very safe for patients dwelling in TB endemic
areas as they elevate the risk for reactivating latent TB. This dichotomous function of IL-1 has not received due
attention partly because the pathological functions of this cytokine during TB was perceived as a consequence
of failed antimicrobial function in conditions where the host makes sub-optimal level of IL-1. Despite being a
well-studied cytokine in terms of its regulation and signaling pathways, the role of different cells in IL-1-
mediated protective immunity and pathological inflammation is not explored in details, especially in the context
of chronic TB. To bridge this knowledge gap, and with the long-term goal to understand the cell-specific role of
IL-1 in TB immunity, we generated conditional deletion and gain-in function mutant mouse strains and
discovered that IL-1 provides protection against TB by acting on non-hematopoietic cells, e.g. airway epithelial
cells (AECs) and endothelial cells (ECs) that control neutrophil influx, tissue damage and bacterial growth in
the lungs. We hypothesize that IL-1 activation on ECs and AECs are integral to protection against chronic TB
as it restrains tissue-damaging inflammation caused by uncontrolled neutrophil influx, and boosts anti-microbial
immunity. We will test this hypothesis by two specific aims. In aim.1, we will investigate the mechanisms by
which AECs and ECs regulate inflammation and microbicidal functions of phagocytes. We will specifically test
the contribution of prostaglandin E2/EP4 signaling pathway in mice that express or lack IL-1 receptor on these
cells. In aim.2, we will investigate the mechanisms by which neutrophils cause tissue damage in the absence
of...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10246584
- **Project number:** 1R56AI148239-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Bibhuti Bhusan Mishra
- **Activity code:** R56 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $487,002
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-03 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10246584

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10246584, Decoding the mechanism of protective and pathological functions of IL-1 during Tuberculosis (1R56AI148239-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10246584. Licensed CC0.

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