# Contribution of Cellular and Molecular Heterogeneity of Esophageal Epithelium to Health Disparities in Esophageal Cancer

> **NIH NIH R21** · TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH · 2024 · $1

## Abstract

Project Summary
Esophageal cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of human malignancy. Esophageal squamous cell
carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) are the primary histological subtypes of esophageal
cancer. Clear race-based disparities exist with regard to incidence of esophageal cancer in the US with EAC
most often affecting Caucasian ancestry men (CA) and ESCC primarily occurring in African American/Black
(AA/B) men. Moreover, esophageal cancer collectively is more deadly in AA/B patients as compared to their CA
counterparts. Currently, our understanding of the biological underpinnings of the described racial disparities in
esophageal cancer remains limited. In the current proposal we will directly perform scRNA-Seq on esophageal
biopsy specimens from esophageal mucosa of AA/B and CA subjects to test the innovative hypothesis that race-
associated alterations in the molecular and cellular heterogeneity of esophageal mucosa contribute to disparities
in esophageal cancer incidence. In Aim 1, we will interrogate tissues from AA/B and CA healthy controls with
normal esophageal pathology. In Aim 2, we will interrogate adjacent normal tissue from human subjects with
esophageal tumors. This study represents the first evaluation of race-based differences in esophageal mucosa
at the level of single cell resolution. It will also be the first study to examine this cellular heterogeneity in both
healthy and esophageal cancer patients. To successfully reach this goal, the proposed studies leverage (1) the
diverse patient population at TUH; (2) the PIs established pipeline for esophageal biopsy procurement and
expertise in esophageal pathophysiology; and (3) the collaborators respective expertise in esophageal cancer
(Dr. Whelan), clinical and translational esophageal research (Dr. Reichenbach), bioinformatics analysis of large-
scale genomics data (Karami), and health disparities (Dr. Ma). Identification of cell types and pathways
displaying differential representation or expression in AA/B and CA subjects has great potential to inform our
understanding of the biological underpinnings of established racial disparities in esophageal cancer incidence.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10867095
- **Project number:** 1R21CA290137-01
- **Recipient organization:** TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Zachary W Reichenbach
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-05-01 → 2024-05-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10867095

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10867095, Contribution of Cellular and Molecular Heterogeneity of Esophageal Epithelium to Health Disparities in Esophageal Cancer (1R21CA290137-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10867095. Licensed CC0.

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