# Probing antigen specificity and response of autoimmune B cells in Neuromyelitis Optica

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE · 2020 · $189,375

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
We will create a new dual approach for discovering and developing targeted autoimmune therapeutics. Recent
work has highlighted the role of B cells in Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) disease progression, and autoimmune B
cells are a major target for NMO therapeutics. In this project, we will apply a single B cell molecular analysis
pipeline to understand the features of autoimmune B cells, and in parallel we will develop a set of new molecular
probes designed to silence autoimmune B cells associated with NMO. We will focus our analysis on aquaporin
4, the predominant autoantigen in NMO. We will also apply our molecular-scale technologies to evaluate the
ability of these new probes to capture the full set of autoimmune antibodies and autoimmune B cells in NMO
patients. This project represents the first step of a broader research program in the guided development and
analysis of targeted molecular therapeutics to treat human autoimmune diseases, beginning with NMO.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9849733
- **Project number:** 5R21AI144408-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE
- **Principal Investigator:** Brandon James DeKosky
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $189,375
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-01-11 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9849733

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9849733, Probing antigen specificity and response of autoimmune B cells in Neuromyelitis Optica (5R21AI144408-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9849733. Licensed CC0.

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