# APCs and environmental cues for inflammation-linked Th17 immunity

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $242,336

## Abstract

Summary of Work
 Understanding how antigen presenting cells (APCs) use environmental cues to influence T cell antigen
specificity and function is a pressing issue since IL-17-producing CD4 T cells (Th17) can exist in two
dichotomous states: 1) Th17 that exist in health and cause no inflammation (“Th17h”) and 2) Th17 that expand
during autoimmune and inflammatory disease (“Th17i”). Because some tissues, like small intestine, naturally
contain large numbers of Th17h cells, distinguishing Th17h and Th17i cells in these tissues has been a
remarkable challenge. Consequentially, the origins, functions and even the existence of Th17i cells in these
tissues have been highly debated. To begin to resolve this we took a focused look at Th17 cells in inflamed
small intestine and identified populations of Th17i cells readily distinguishable from Th17h cells since these
Th17i cells have distinct antigen specificity and localization than do Th17h cells. By all measures thus far these
Th17i cells are exclusive to inflammation and do not appear to exist in conditions of health. With our new
approach to distinguish Th17h and Th17i cells, the objective of this proposal is to understand the nature and
origins of Th17i cells, and the environmental cues and APCs underpinning their expansion in inflammation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10321626
- **Project number:** 5R01AI145930-03
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Gianna Elena Hammer
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $242,336
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-01-01 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10321626

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10321626, APCs and environmental cues for inflammation-linked Th17 immunity (5R01AI145930-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10321626. Licensed CC0.

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