# Allergen T cell epitopes and phenotypes in peanut allergy

> **NIH NIH U19** · BENAROYA RESEARCH INST AT VIRGINIA MASON · 2021 · $343,774

## Abstract

Project Summary – Project 1
Peanut allergy is a common food allergy that is associated with fatal anaphylactic reaction. While allergy is an
IgE mediated disease, accumulating evidence suggests that allergen specific CD4+ T cells play a significant
role in disease development. The objective of this project is to establish peanut allergy as a heterogeneous
disease with peanut epitope specific T cells as a biomarker to define disease heterogeneity. The specific aims
of this project will include: 1) Identifying peanut specific CD4+ T cell epitope; 2) Examining the phenotype of
peanut epitope specific T helper cells; 3) Testing the hypothesis that the phenotype of peanut specific T cells
depends on the epitope they recognized; 4) Evaluating phenotype heterogeneity of peanut specific T helper
cells in peanut allergic subjects; 5) Testing the hypothesis that phenotype of peanut specific T cells can be
used to segregate peanut allergic subjects into 2 distinct subtypes; 5) Establishing a link between phenotype
and molecular signature of peanut specific T cells and allergic disease status; 6) Examining the epitope
specificity peanut specific regulatory T cells and 7) Testing the hypothesis that regulatory T cells in allergic
subjects are functionally impaired.
We will use class II tetramers in tracking peanut specific cell and cutting edge technologies, including CyTOF
and single cell RNA-seq, in examining peanut specific T cells. A CD154/CD137 assay will also be developed to
monitor both peanut specific T effectors and regulatory T cells. The cumulative results will lead to a much
better understanding of peanut specific T cells in the pathogenesis of peanut allergy.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10318131
- **Project number:** 3U19AI135817-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** BENAROYA RESEARCH INST AT VIRGINIA MASON
- **Principal Investigator:** William W. Kwok
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $343,774
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-06-01 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10318131

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10318131, Allergen T cell epitopes and phenotypes in peanut allergy (3U19AI135817-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10318131. Licensed CC0.

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