# How MERS-CoV Regulates Innate Immunity in Primary Human Lung Cells

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2020 · $27,486

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The molecular mechanisms regulating emerging highly pathogenic human respiratory
coronavirus pathogenesis are complex and include dampening of the host innate immune
response allowing higher viral titers immediately following entry. Previous studies tracking the
expression of interferon stimulated gene (ISG) expression in Middle East respiratory syndrome
coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infected continuous human lung epithelial cells demonstrated that
specific ISG expression patterns could be detected and these patterns could be used to
determine how CoV were modulating the innate immune response. Epigenetic/chromatin
remodeling mechanisms were found to be important regulators of host chromatin remodeling
that altered host expression ISG patterns. This proposal will build on these foundational studies
performed in continuous human lung cell lines and define ways that MERS-CoV regulates
innate immunity in primary human lung fibroblasts and microvascular endothelial cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9942367
- **Project number:** 5R21AI146872-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** AMY C SIMS
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $27,486
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-06-05 → 2020-06-02

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9942367

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9942367, How MERS-CoV Regulates Innate Immunity in Primary Human Lung Cells (5R21AI146872-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9942367. Licensed CC0.

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