# Solitary chemosensory / tuft cells in lung regeneration and inflammation

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2021 · $399,276

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract
Respiratory viral infections represent a major risk factor for the development of asthma.
Moreover, severe influenza injury can result in ineffective repair and persistent loss of
pulmonary function. The enduring changes caused by viral-induced lung injury that
might explain chronic disease are not understood. We recently identified ectopic tuft /
solitary chemosensory cells (SCCs) arising in the distal lung after H1N1 influenza
infection. Since SCCs are increasingly recognized as critical orchestrators of both
inflammation and epithelial tissue regeneration and remodeling, we posit that they are a
likely driver of chronic lung pathology. This proposal will address the central
hypothesis that inactivation / ablation of ectopic SCCs will promote the resolution
of dysplastic remodeling and reduce chronic Th2-biased inflammatory disease,
but may also increase susceptibility to pathogens controlled by Th2 responses
following influenza infection. The major aims to address this hypothesis are to 1)
ascertain the effects of SCC presence and specific SCC-derived signals on epithelial
progenitor cells (fate and proliferation) during repair, and 2) determine whether the
development of SCCs impacts Th2-mediated inflammatory disease (asthma) or
parasitic protection. Completion of this project will validate SCCs as important drivers of
pulmonary disease and will also facilitate identification of specific SCC effector
pathways that could allow for preservation of host-protective benefits while attenuating
their contribution to pathology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10171904
- **Project number:** 5R01HL153539-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Andrew Vaughan
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $399,276
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-06-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10171904

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10171904, Solitary chemosensory / tuft cells in lung regeneration and inflammation (5R01HL153539-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10171904. Licensed CC0.

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