A small lipid molecule inhibits autoimmune disease development

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. F. Nina Papavasiliou, Ph.D., since 12/2023
• Subject Area: Immunology
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 405863902

This is a renewal proposal of the DFG-funded project. In the previous funding period, we discovered that ceramide metabolism plays an essential role in supporting CD8+ T cell survival, proliferation, and effector function during viral infections (Wu et al., Immunity (2019)). In the current proposal, we plan to study whether and how sphinganine, a simple sphingolipid molecule, influences the differentiation and functions of Treg cells. Treg cells play an essential role in modulating immune responses to tumors, invading pathogens, and autoantigens. Our preliminary data show that sphinganine potently induced Treg cell formation and ameliorated autoimmune disease symptoms. We plan to further examine whether sphinganine effectively induces immune tolerance in various autoimmune disorders and to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms. This research will evaluate the potential of using sphinganine to treat autoimmune diseases, and will reveal the mode of actions of sphinganine at the molecular level.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Dr. Guoliang Cui, until 12/2023