# The role of T cell derived cytokines in Helicobacter pylori and other gastrointestinal infections.

> **NIH VA I01** · VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION · 2026 · —

## Abstract

Project Summary
Background and Innovation. Chronic infections and the inflammation associated with long-term immune
activation contribute to carcinogenesis in several tissues, especially gastrointestinal infections. Specifically,
Helicobacter pylori infection has been formally recognized as a Type I carcinogen for over many years. More
recently, associations between bacterial infections and colorectal cancer have been made (i.e. enterotoxigenic
Bacteroides fragilis, pks+ E. coli, F. nucleatum). We use H. pylori as a highly relevant, rigorous and tractable
model to investigate an understudied area of host-pathogen interactions, bacterial-driven carcinogenesis. There
is an unmet need to understand the dichotomy that exists between immune responses; those that are needed
to control infection versus those that drive chronic inflammation. Our published observations indicate that T cell
cytokines, especially IL-17 signaling, play a key role controlling H. pylori infection, maintaining the gastric barrier,
and preventing exacerbated T and B cell responses (e.g. Th1 responses and antibody production). Importantly,
we have found that H. pylori infection outcomes in the absence of IL-17RA are pathologically worse, which is
paradoxical to the view that IL-17 is pro-carcinogenic in several tissues. Our data indicate that IL-17RA deficient
mice progress to gastric cancer more rapidly. This is clinically relevant for in humans with gastric cancer, higher
levels of IL-17RA in gastric tissue is a positive prognostic marker for survival. We will test the hypothesis that IL-
17 and IFNJ (a Th1 cytokine) have divergent roles activating fibroblasts, resulting in protective versus detrimental
outcomes, respectively. Our laboratory is uniquely positioned to work at this intersection of inflammation, cancer,
and bacterial pathogenesis. This allows us to view the role of the immune response during infection induced
cancers through an innovative lens. Two aims are proposed which will utiliz

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11176731
- **Project number:** 2I01BX000915-13A1
- **Recipient organization:** VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
- **Principal Investigator:** HOLLY Marie Scott ALGOOD
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2025-06-01T00:00:00 → 2031-05-31T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11176731

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11176731, The role of T cell derived cytokines in Helicobacter pylori and other gastrointestinal infections. (2I01BX000915-13A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-07-06 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11176731. Licensed CC0.

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