Bacteria-made indoles and inflammatory arthritis
Official title: Influence of bacterial tryptophan metabolism on inflammatory arthritis
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11380536 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study from the University of Colorado Denver is looking at how gut bacteria convert tryptophan into indoles that may drive inflammatory arthritis in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | April 10, 2019 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $446,482 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR075033-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11380536 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals at risk for or diagnosed with axial spondyloarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, and those willing to provide intestinal samples or participate in related studies.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not experience direct benefit, as findings may apply to broader future therapies rather than immediate treatment changes.
What this research studies
Researchers are exploring how gut microbes and their production of indole compounds influence inflammatory arthritis such as axial spondyloarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The project uses patient samples and animal models to connect bacterial changes in the gut to immune signals that promote disease. By identifying specific bacteria and the indole pathways they trigger, the study aims to map how dysbiosis leads to inflammatory joint inflammation and autoantibody activity. The work builds on prior findings that certain indole-producing bacteria can affect Th17 cells and autoantibodies, and tests whether dietary or microbial changes could modify disease in models. If successful, this could reveal new angles for managing arthritis by targeting the gut microbiome and its metabolites.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could gain new ideas for reducing arthritis activity through gut health or targeted therapies that alter bacterial indole production.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked gut bacteria and tryptophan metabolism to inflammatory signaling and arthritis in models and early human data, supporting potential relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kuhn, Kristine a. — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Kuhn, Kristine a.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how immune checkpoint drugs can trigger inflammatory arthritis in cancer patients
This research looks at why some cancer patients develop inflammatory arthritis after PD-1 inhibitor therapy and what could be done to prevent it.
-
Antenatal DMARD Use and Mother-Child Health in Women with Chronic Inflammatory Arthritis
This project aims to understand how continuing pregnancy-safe arthritis medicines during pregnancy affects health outcomes for mothers with chronic inflammatory arthritis and their babies.
-
Gut barrier and antibiotics: how gut health affects inflammatory arthritis
Antibiotic use may increase the risk of inflammatory arthritis by changing the gut, and this project looks at how those gut changes influence joint inflammation in people with arthritis.
-
ctDNA biomarker to guide safety of cancer immunotherapy in inflammatory arthritis
A patient-facing biomarker study using a blood test to detect tumor DNA in people with cancer who develop inflammatory arthritis from immunotherapy, to help doctors pick safer treatment choices.
-
Setbp1’s role in how joint cells behave during inflammatory arthritis
This project looks at how a protein called SETBP1 affects delicate joint cells (FLS) that drive inflammation in arthritis, with potential implications for better treatments.
-
Understanding immune-triggered inflammatory arthritis from cancer immunotherapy
A clinical study looks at why inflammatory arthritis caused by cancer immunotherapy affects people differently and how to best treat it.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.