# High Dimensional Mass Cytometry Analysis of the Effects of Vedolizumab in Intestinal Cellular Subsets and its Correlation with Clinical Parameters

> **NIH NIH R21** · VETERANS MEDICAL RESEARCH FDN/SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $178,125

## Abstract

Project Summary
Our understanding of the specific cell subsets that are being depleted by vedolizumab and other effective
agents within the intestine remains superficial. This is in part due to technical limitations which had hampered
the unbiased interrogation of cellular and molecular composition of the human intestinal lamina propria.
Recently, these technological challenges have been overcome by the development of mass cytometry, which
enables the simultaneous quantification of up to 40 surface and/or intracellular markers on cell subsets. We
have recently adapted existing mass cytometry methodology previously employed mainly for peripheral blood
cell analyses, to allow for the interrogation of intestinal lamina propria cells. We have developed, tested and
optimized a panel of 37 immune cell markers that allow us to simultaneously identify all major immune cell
populations, as well as numerous sub-populations, intracellular cytokines and transcription factors. Here we
will prospectively assess the effects of vedolizumab on the cellular composition of intestine by performing deep
immunophenotyping of immune cell subsets, prior to and after the drug’s administration. We will then
determine whether changes on cell subsets correlate with clinical, endoscopic or histologic parameters of
disease activity. These studies will test the validity of mass cytometry outcomes as surrogate markers for the
efficacy of drugs that target lymphocyte traffic (vedolizumab, etrolizumab, anti- MAdCAM-1, ozanimod) and
may directly shed light on the specific mechanism of action of these traffic-targeted therapies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9910384
- **Project number:** 5R21DK118927-02
- **Recipient organization:** VETERANS MEDICAL RESEARCH FDN/SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Jesus Rivera-Nieves
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $178,125
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-08 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9910384

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9910384, High Dimensional Mass Cytometry Analysis of the Effects of Vedolizumab in Intestinal Cellular Subsets and its Correlation with Clinical Parameters (5R21DK118927-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9910384. Licensed CC0.

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