Gut and saliva health: using gut bacteria to help Sjögren's syndrome
Official title: Unraveling the Gut-Salivary Gland Axis: Microbial and Microbial Metabolite-Based Strategies for Sjögren's Syndrome Therapy
Funded at Ada Forsyth Institute, INC. · NIH-11450720 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study tests whether manipulating gut bacteria or their byproducts can protect and improve saliva gland function in people with Sjögren’s syndrome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ada Forsyth Institute, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Somerville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 2, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $629,029 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DE035499-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450720 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome who are candidates for microbiome-based therapeutic strategies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Sjögren’s syndrome or those not involved in gut microbiome–targeted approaches may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores how the gut microbiome affects the salivary glands in Sjögren’s syndrome and tests whether healthy gut bacteria or their metabolites can reduce gland inflammation and improve saliva flow. It uses sequencing of gut bacteria and studies in animal models to understand mechanisms and identify key microbial metabolites that influence salivary tissue. The team will examine how microbial signals translate into changes in salivary gland cells and immune responses, aiming to map the gut-salivary gland axis. If successful, findings could guide new microbiome-based therapies to preserve gland function in Sjögren’s patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to microbiome- or metabolite-based therapies that protect or restore saliva production in Sjögren’s syndrome.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies suggest gut bacteria and their metabolites can influence salivary gland pathology, but human data are limited; this project seeks to extend that evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Ada Forsyth Institute, INC.
Somerville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yu, Qing — Ada Forsyth Institute, INC.
- Study coordinator: Yu, Qing
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.