# Myeloid Cell Signaling in Allergic Asthma

> **NIH NIH P20** · LOUISIANA STATE UNIV A&M COL BATON ROUGE · 2020 · $258,996

## Abstract

Project Summary
Allergic asthma affects over half of the 24 million asthmatics in the United States. Interleukins 4 (IL4) and 13
(IL13) are known to play an essential role in the pathogenicity of allergic asthma. Germ-line deletion of their
common receptor, i.e. Interleukin-4 receptor alpha (IL4Rα), provides complete protection against allergic
asthma suggesting its indispensable role. Accordingly, pharmacological agents blocking IL4Rα are currently
under clinical trials for management of human allergic asthma. The responses are, however, not very
promising, perhaps due to the inefficient targeting of a freshly recruited IL4Rα-bearing cell-type involved in the
pathogenesis of allergic asthma. This is because the cell-type specific role of IL4Rα-mediated signaling in
allergic asthma has remained unclear. Identification of a key cell-type that employs IL4Rα-mediated signaling
in pathogenic manifestation of allergic asthma may, therefore, lead to a more effective therapeutic intervention
in allergic asthma. The overall objective of this proposal is to delineate the cell-specific role of IL4Rα signaling
in eosinophil recruitment and allergic asthma and to identify the cellular source and molecular identity of
soluble and vesicle-bound mediators of allergic inflammation in airspaces (airway and alveolar airspaces).
Outstanding collaborations have been established with experts, including an asthma specialist, an exosomes
proteomics specialist, a molecular pathologist, an eosinophil biology expert, and an IL4Rα biology expert.
Innovative tools, including novel transgenic mouse strains, have been developed that will allow a feasible and
productive investigation. Our central hypothesis is that myeloid-specific IL-4Rα signaling is essential for
recruitment of eosinophils and manifestation of allergic asthma-relevant outcomes and that exosomes carry the
mediators of eosinophil recruitment. This hypothesis will be tested under three specific aims.  Aim 1 will Test
the hypothesis that myeloid IL4Rα is essential for eosinophil recruitment; in Aim 2 we will Test the hypothesis
that myeloid-IL4Rα is essential for allergic asthma outcomes in a mixed allergen challenge model. The findings
from our studies will have a transformative impact on our mechanistic understanding of the pathophysiology of
allergic asthma. Eventually, our findings may be applied towards the development of cell-specific therapeutics
against allergic airway and other eosinophilic disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9844086
- **Project number:** 5P20GM130555-02
- **Recipient organization:** LOUISIANA STATE UNIV A&M COL BATON ROUGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Yogesh Saini
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $258,996
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9844086

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9844086, Myeloid Cell Signaling in Allergic Asthma (5P20GM130555-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9844086. Licensed CC0.

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