# Development and Validation of a Prognostic Transcriptomic Signature for Chronic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

> **NIH NIH R01** · NATIONAL JEWISH HEALTH · 2020 · $862,236

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an immunologically mediated form of
lung disease, resulting from inhalational exposure to a large variety of antigens. For unknown reasons, a
subgroup of patients with HP without a known inciting antigen exposure develops chronic disease with
progressive pulmonary fibrosis (the leading cause of death). Accurately identifying patients at risk of disease
progression is necessary for prognosis and therapy. The objective of this proposal is to refine our current clinical
risk stratification by identifying and validating a transcriptomic signature from peripheral blood mononuclear cells
in patients with chronic HP that is predictive of disease progression. We hypothesize that the clinical course of
chronic HP is associated with a peripheral blood gene expression signature of risk that can be used to refine the
prognosis and predict the clinical outcome. Guided by strong preliminary data, this hypothesis will be tested by
two specific aims: i) Establish transcriptomic signatures at time of initial presentation in peripheral blood
mononuclear cells from patients with chronic HP in a Discovery cohort and then validate the signature in an
independent chronic HP replication cohort; and ii) Establish a time-course transcriptomic profile predictive of
disease progression in the Discovery cohort and validate the signature profile in the independent chronic HP
replication cohort.
pursuing
The proposed research is significant because it will provide the knowledge that will enhance
our ability to predict disease progression, a level of prognostication which is not possible with current clinical
measures alone. Relevance to Public Health: This is an important and under-investigated area that has the
potential to fundamentally advance our understanding of the pathobiology of disease progression and provide
the groundwork to define molecular targets relevant to chronic HP disease progression.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9973969
- **Project number:** 1R01HL148437-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** NATIONAL JEWISH HEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Evans Fernandez
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $862,236
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9973969

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9973969, Development and Validation of a Prognostic Transcriptomic Signature for Chronic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (1R01HL148437-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9973969. Licensed CC0.

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