# Characterization of altered immunity in patients with inflammatory arthritis induced by immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy

> **NIH NIH K08** · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · 2022 · $170,640

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This proposal describes a rigorous training program for the career development of Dr. Sang Kim as an
independent physician-scientist.
 The principal investigator is a physician-scientist who completed his PhD in immunobiology and his clinical
rheumatology fellowship at Yale University. His career goal is to become an independent investigator studying
rheumatic complications induced by immune-based cancer therapeutics. He proposes to expand his training in
T cell and cancer immunology through an intensive training research experience under the mentorship of Dr.
Roza Nurieva, a world leader with unparalleled intellectual and technical insight into the role of T cells in cancers
and autoimmune diseases. In addition, because interactions of tumors and the host immune system are critical
in development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) induced by cancer immunotherapy, and because
cutting-edge genomic technologies are a powerful tool in understanding the complex biology of the immune
system, Dr. Kim will also have an opportunity to study cancer/functional genomics under the mentorship of Dr.
Andrew Futreal (co-primary mentor), a world-renowned scientist in cancer genomics.
 The research objective of this proposal is to investigate mechanisms of arthritis associated with immune
checkpoint inhibitor therapy (arthritis-irAE). Preliminary data for this proposal revealed the predominance of Th1
cell signatures in the patients with arthritis-irAE. In addition, Th17 cells were expanded in arthritis associated
with combined PD-1 and CTLA-4 inhibitor therapy with steroid resistance. Furthermore, Dr. Kim observed that
more CD4+ T cells were polarized into Th17 cells in skewing conditions in the presence of combined PD-1 and
CTLA-4 inhibitors than in the presence of PD-1 inhibitor alone. From these results, Dr. Kim hypothesizes that
Th1 cells play a critical role in the pathogenesis of arthritis-irAE and that Th17 cells are pivotal in steroid-resistant
arthritis-irAE induced by combined PD-1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors. To address the hypothesis, Dr. Kim will
investigate mechanisms leading to development of arthritis-irAE, with special focus on Th1/Tc1, Th17/Tc17, and
regulatory T cells, and determine mechanism-driven biomarkers to predict development of arthritis-irAE, reflect
arthritis disease activity, and predict steroid resistance.
 This proposal serves as a training vehicle for Dr. Sang Kim to become an expert in rheumatic complications
induced by immune-based cancer therapy, an explosively emerging and challenging clinical entity in
rheumatology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10457396
- **Project number:** 5K08AR079587-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Sang Taek Kim
- **Activity code:** K08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $170,640
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10457396

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10457396, Characterization of altered immunity in patients with inflammatory arthritis induced by immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (5K08AR079587-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10457396. Licensed CC0.

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