# Dissecting How Xenobiotics Act as Adjuvants for Oral Allergic Sensitization

> **NIH NIH R01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $564,639

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Food allergies have been increasing at an exponential rate since 1960 for unknown reasons. We hypothesized
that modern xenobiotics that were widely introduced into the modern environment may be acting as allergic
adjuvants to break oral tolerance and cause allergy. This proposal will explore how certain non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are sufficient for oral allergic sensitization. The proposal will test the overarching
hypothesis that adjuvant NSAIDs are activators of the xenobiotic sensor, Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related
factor 2 (NRF2), in intestinal epithelial cells, which release IL33 to initiate the allergic response to coincident
food antigen. We will use a combination of genetic, pharmacologic, and mass spectroscopic approaches to
rigorously test this hypothesis. If confirmed, our work has major implications for why allergies are increasing
and could lead to new public health policies and novel therapies for the management of allergic diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10272937
- **Project number:** 1R01AI162645-01
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Andrew Wang
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $564,639
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-05-24 → 2026-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10272937

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10272937, Dissecting How Xenobiotics Act as Adjuvants for Oral Allergic Sensitization (1R01AI162645-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10272937. Licensed CC0.

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