# Protecting colonic mucus to mitigate acute intestinal graft-versus-host disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · 2022 · $807,472

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 For patients with hematologic malignancies such as leukemias, lymphomas and other related cancers,
allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo HCT) is a critically important therapy that can produce cures
when other treatments cannot. Roughly 20,000 patients undergo allo BMT world-wide each year. A major risk
of allo HCT continues to be graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which results from the donor immune system
recognizing the transplant recipient’s organs as foreign, leading to life-threatening inflammation. Developing
strategies that reduce GVHD but leave global immune function intact should produce a major benefit for
patients. One promising approach that we propose testing is targeting the subset of intestinal commensal
bacteria that are capable of consuming and degrading mucins, which play a critical role in maintaining the
intestinal epithelial barrier and immunological homeostasis.
 In this proposal, we present preliminary data identifying two common scenarios during the allo HCT
process: 1) poor oral dietary intake due to conditioning or development of GVHD, and 2) administration of
broad-spectrum antibiotics. Both of these often lead to increases in mucolytic bacteria. Further, we have
identified antibiotic and metabolic strategies to suppress mucolytic bacteria activity. We will apply these
insights to guide a mucus-focused evaluation of GVHD, in both mouse models and in stool biospecimens
collected from allo HCT patients.
 We and others have identified the microbiota as a potent modulator of acute GVHD severity. This
project proposes capitalizing on a mechanistic insight into how this can occur, with clear translational potential.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10441324
- **Project number:** 5R01HL124112-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Robert Jenq
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $807,472
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2015-08-15 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10441324

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10441324, Protecting colonic mucus to mitigate acute intestinal graft-versus-host disease (5R01HL124112-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10441324. Licensed CC0.

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