# Mechanisms of B Cell Responses to Particulate Antigens

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2024 · $29,912

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Mechanisms of acute and long-term antiviral antibody responses
Two biophysical attributes shared by most animal viruses are the display of viral-specific proteins at certain
densities on the surface of individual virions and the encapsulation of viral genome inside the virion. A threshold
density of viral surface proteins is important to ensure efficient viral infection of host cells. From the perspective
of the host, a threshold density of viral surface proteins may also be critical for the recognition by germline B
cells for efficient mounting of humoral responses. The encapsulated genetic material can also stimulate B cells
through the Toll-like receptors. Substantial mechanistic studies at the single-molecule level and imaging of live
cells have revealed the sensitivity of B cells to the density of antigens. However, at the mechanistic level, it
remains largely uncharacterized how B cells may recognize and respond to the individual as well as collective
attributes of a virus, including the spatial density of proteins and the internal nucleic acids. To this end, we have
developed a new system of synthetic virus-like structures (SVLS), and we are using these structures as a new
generation of virus-like immunogens to study both in vitro and in vivo fundamental mechanisms of B cell antiviral
responses. This project aims to unravel the acute and long-term antiviral antibody responses using this new
generation of model particulate antigens that we have developed and train the next generation biomedical and
pharmaceutical sciences workforce. The success of this project will yield new and important mechanistic
information on the initiation and maintenance of neutralizing antiviral antibody responses in mice, and prepare
the trainee for his long-term scientific and professional career.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10993873
- **Project number:** 3R01AI155653-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Wei Cheng
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $29,912
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2024-03-29 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10993873

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10993873, Mechanisms of B Cell Responses to Particulate Antigens (3R01AI155653-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10993873. Licensed CC0.

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