Matthew C. Baker, MD, MS: Sarcoidosis Incidence after mTOR Inhibitor Treatment

Poster Presenter: Matthew C. Baker, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Stanford University

Poster Title: Sarcoidosis Incidence after mTOR Inhibitor Treatment

Ignite Session 7C
Monday, November 14 | 1:15–1:20 p.m. ET | Center City Stage
All ACR Convergence 2022 poster presentations are available on demand to registered meeting participants through October 31, 2023.

What is your poster about?
In our study, we evaluated the incidence of sarcoidosis in patients treated with mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors versus calcineurin inhibitors, and we found a potential protective effect of mTOR inhibitor treatment compared with calcineurin inhibitor treatment against the development of sarcoidosis.

Why did you decide to investigate this topic?
Recent research using a murine model demonstrated that granuloma formation (a hallmark of sarcoidosis) is driven by activation of the metabolic checkpoint kinase mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) in macrophages. Constitutive mTORC1 activity in myeloid cells resulted in spontaneous multiorgan formation of granulomas. Moreover, treatment of these mice with the mTOR inhibitor everolimus resulted in dissolution of the granulomas. These findings had not been extrapolated to patients with sarcoidosis with routine clinical care data.

What are you working on next related to this research?
In the future, we would like to propose an interventional study with an mTOR inhibitor to see if, in addition to potentially protecting against the development of sarcoidosis, mTOR inhibition might be helpful in treating patients with sarcoidosis. 

What excites you most about your work?
Sarcoidosis, and particularly pulmonary sarcoidosis, is refractory to currently available treatments in about a third of patients, and new therapies that are safe and effective are greatly needed. We are excited about the prospect of using an mTOR inhibitor to treat these patients, but additional studies are needed to demonstrate this potential benefit.