# Role of Salivary Gland Localized SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Oral Tolerance & Immunization Efficacy

> **NIH NIH R21** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2021 · $228,750

## Abstract

Project Summary | Role of Salivary Gland Localized SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Oral Tolerance & Immunization Efficacy
 Over 5 million individuals in the United States have been diagnosed with systemic acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus-2, SARS-CoV-2, infections 1. One of the primary unanswered questions is whether patients that recover from
SARS-CoV-2 or are immunized against SARS-CoV-2 will develop lasting immunity. Early reports of COVID-19 have
outlined the potential role of salivary gland (SG) localized SARS-CoV-2 in the development of COVID-19 symptomology.
Viruses that are able to infect the salivary glands often escape complete immune-mediated clearance due to immune
privilege status of the salivary glands and the development of systemic oral tolerance to oral antigens. To further analyze
the role in SG localized SARS-CoV-2 infection, we will 1) develop a murine model of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
expression in salivary gland tissue to evaluate release of antigen into saliva and capacity to trigger the development of oral
tolerance, 2) measure immunization-mediated clearance of SARS-CoV-2 antigens from SG tissue and 3) evaluate the impact
of oral antigen exposure on existing immunization efficacy and ability to support long lasting immunity. Data obtained
from the proposed studies will further define the role of SG localized SARS-CoV-2 infections and potential avenues for
development of oral tolerance-based therapies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10239756
- **Project number:** 1R21AI161600-01
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** Melodie Lynn Weller
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $228,750
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10239756

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10239756, Role of Salivary Gland Localized SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Oral Tolerance & Immunization Efficacy (1R21AI161600-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10239756. Licensed CC0.

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