NOVEL TREATMENTS OF LUPUS TARGETING TNF-SUPERFAMILY RECEPTORS ON B CELLS

本子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的众多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能已经从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是中心的，不一定是研究者的机构。本研究的目的是鉴定B细胞表面的tnf家族生长因子受体，这些受体可以作为系统性狼疮B细胞自身抗体产生的治疗控制靶点。利用GCRC的具体目的是检查狼疮患者和对照组（包括健康对照组和其他炎症性风湿病对照组）B细胞表面生长因子受体的表达。这些试验的结果将与临床参数和血清中生长因子的水平相关。这需要静脉切开术（经UAB IRB批准）和血清样本的储存。GCRC将用于所有亚群志愿者的静脉切开术。血液将由调查人员处理。在适当的管中等量血清并贴上标签将被储存在GCRC设备中。这将允许在以后的日期重新检查样品的其他特性。在同意的患者中，这些样本也可用于其他研究。大学没有其他设施可以让这些志愿者获得血样，因此该项目需要GCRC设施提供采集血样的空间和人员。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The goal of this study is to identify TNF-family growth factor recpetors on the surface of B cells that can be developed as targets for therapeutic control of autoantibody production by B cells in systemic lupus. The specific aim that will utilize the GCRC examines the expression of the receptors for growth factors on the surface of B cells of lupus patients and controls (including both healthy controls and controls with other inflammatory Rheumatologic diseases). The results of these assays will be correlated with clinical parameters and with levels of growth factors in the serum. This requires phlebotomy (as approved by the UAB IRB) and storage of samples of serum. The GCRC will be utilized for phlebotomy on volunteers from all subpopulations. The blood will be processed by the investigators. An aliquot of serum in appropriate tubes and with labels will be stored in the GCRC failities. This will permit re-examination of other properties of the samples at a later date. In patients who give consent, these samples will also be available for other studies. There is no other facility in the University to see these volunteers to obtain their blood samples, and thus this project needs the GCRC facility for the space and personnel for drawing these blood samples.