# Mobilization and trafficking of central ILC progenitors

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2024 · $460,437

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are an essential part of peripheral tissues by regulating tissue homeostasis,
immunity and inflammation. Peripheral ILC populations undergo spontaneous and induced attrition over time
and should be replenished to maintain their normal numbers and subset composition. Bone marrow (BM) is the
major site that produces ILC progenitors for peripheral tissues. The first step to deliver ILC progenitors into
peripheral tissues is the mobilization of ILC progenitors from the BM, and this presumably requires regulated
emigration of ILC progenitors from the BM and their ultimate trafficking into various peripheral tissues.
Unfortunately, we hardly understand how various ILC progenitors are mobilized from the BM and
characteristically distributed to various peripheral tissues in steady state and how these processes are
altered in inflammatory conditions. The overarching objective of this project is to understand the
mobilization and trafficking of BM ILC progenitors.
 Several important questions arise in terms of the mobilization and migration of central ILC progenitors:
Which progenitors dominantly emigrate from BM to generate peripheral ILC subsets? Are they multi-potential
and/or committed progenitors? What are the mechanisms and signals that trigger their emigration? How do
these progenitor cells in the blood circulation enter distinct peripheral tissues? Is the migration mechanism
universal or specific for each progenitor subset or tissue site? How do inflammatory signals alter the
mobilization and migration patterns of ILC progenitors, and can we control tissue ILC activity in pathogenic
conditions by utilizing mobilized BM ILC progenitors or targeting their mobilization and migration?
 We devised the following specific aims to investigate these questions regarding the mobilization and
trafficking of ILC progenitors. Aim 1. Identify the underlying mechanism for the retention vs. emigration of
BM ILC progenitors; Aim 2. Investigate how the retention vs. emigration of BM ILC progenitors is
regulated by the circadian rhythm; Aim 3. Identify inflammatory signals that regulate the retention vs.
emigration of BM ILC progenitors; Aim 4. Identify the homing behavior and trafficking receptors of
emigrated ILC progenitors. The project will generate fundamental knowledge on how the peripheral ILC
system is regulated by the mobilization and potentially selective trafficking of ILC progenitors into peripheral
tissues. The outcomes will greatly enhance our understanding of the maintenance and regulation of
peripheral ILCs and will provide novel insights into therapeutic utilization and control of ILC
progenitors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10886120
- **Project number:** 5R01AI173179-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** CHANG H KIM
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $460,437
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-01 → 2028-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10886120

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10886120, Mobilization and trafficking of central ILC progenitors (5R01AI173179-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10886120. Licensed CC0.

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