# Accelerated Biological Aging and Immunosenescence as Drivers for Racial Disparities in Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS)

> **NIH CA R01** · MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER · 2026 · $558,016

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy and the most common blood cancer among
individuals who self-identify as African American, accounting for ~20% of newly diagnosed cases. The biological
factors contributing to the increased risk of MM and its precursor condition, monoclonal gammopathy of
undetermined significance (MGUS), in individuals of African ancestry remain poorly understood. Strikingly,
when access to healthcare is equal, African American patients experience better clinical outcomes, and their
MM tumors exhibit lower genomic complexity compared to those of European American patients. It is well
established that the incidence of MGUS and MM increases with age, and aging is a primary determinant for
progression from MGUS to MM. African American patients are diagnosed with MGUS and MM at younger
average ages than European American patients, and emerging evidence suggests that individuals of African
ancestry exhibit accelerated biological aging and immunosenescence. Together, these observations suggest
that accelerated biological aging may contribute to the higher prevalence of MGUS and increased incidence of
MM in African Americans. In support of this, we found that African American patients with MGUS and MM, as
well as healthy donors, had increased CD57+ CD8+ T cells, a hallmark of immunosenescence. This altered
immune function may reduce tumor immune surveillance, decreasing the selective pressure that drives tumor
immunoediting. We hypothesize that individuals with predominant African ancestry who develop MGUS or MM
experience accelerated biological aging and immunosenescence compared to those with predominant
European ancestry, resulting in reduced tumor immunoediting and the development of tumors with less genomic
complexity- a feature linked to more favorable clinical outcomes. In Aim 1, we will assess whether patients with
MGUS and MM who have predominant African ancestry exhibit accelerated biological aging compar

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11358776
- **Project number:** 1R01CA313650-01
- **Recipient organization:** MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** LINDA B BAUGHN; Megan M. Weivoda
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** CA
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $558,016
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2026-05-08T00:00:00 → 2031-04-30T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11358776

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11358776, Accelerated Biological Aging and Immunosenescence as Drivers for Racial Disparities in Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) (1R01CA313650-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-19 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11358776. Licensed CC0.

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