# Lung Cancer Susceptibility in Deployed Gulf War Veterans

> **NIH VA I01** · VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION · 2024 · —

## Abstract

Deployment related respiratory exposures (DRREs) during the Gulf War are now presumed to be linked to the
development of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. Recently, we employed a unique mouse model of
experimental burn pit-type airborne toxin exposures and found that this induced prolonged inflammation and
epigenetic alterations regulating key cancer associated pathways in alveolar macrophages. Unfortunately,
there is limited research that examines the link between toxic respiratory exposures and an increased risk for
developing lung cancer. Our objective is to determine the pathobiology of how DRREs predispose Veterans to
lung cancer. To do this, we will (1) identify cancer-associated epigenetic alterations in lung tissue from
Veterans deployed during the Gulf War who developed lung cancer, (2) employ digital spatial profiling to
generate a transcriptional atlas of effected lung tissues from Gulf War Veterans to inform immune-mediated
remodeling of the lung, (3) use a mouse model to determine how aerosolized gulf war toxins increase
susceptibility to lung cancer, and (4) reverse the harmful epigenetic changes in cancer promoting pathways in
3D lung culture systems and primary cells from Veterans and following experimental aerosolized toxin
exposures in mice. We will use this information to define the epigenetic alterations from DRREs that promote
lung cancer, develop a grading system based on durable epigenetic marks identified in immune cells, and
identify targetable epigenetic changes to potentially reduce the risk for developing lung cancer. Ultimately, if
this project is successful we will better understand the mechanisms that underlie the development of lung
cancer for deployed Gulf War Veterans. This will improve options for therapy and possibly a way to screen
Veterans for an increased risk for developing lung cancer. Importantly, the findings may have broader
implications for military service members deployed to the Persian Gulf, Southwest Asia and Afghanistan, as
well as those in similar theatres of operation in the future.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10701376
- **Project number:** 1I01CX002558-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
- **Principal Investigator:** Rajeev Dhupar
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-03-01 → 2028-02-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10701376

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10701376, Lung Cancer Susceptibility in Deployed Gulf War Veterans (1I01CX002558-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10701376. Licensed CC0.

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