How the enzyme GPX3 affects eosinophilic esophagitis
Official title: Defining the role of GPX3 in Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11298972 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work explores whether low levels of the antioxidant enzyme GPX3 make the esophagus more inflamed and scarred in people with eosinophilic esophagitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $602,020 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK141803-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11298972 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with eosinophilic esophagitis, including children and adults who are undergoing endoscopy and can provide esophageal biopsy samples, would be the best matches for participation.
✕Less likely to help
People without EoE or those who cannot or will not undergo endoscopy/biopsy are unlikely to get direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
As someone with EoE, you would hear that researchers are measuring GPX3 levels in patient esophageal tissue and comparing them with non‑EoE controls. They will use cell lines and three‑dimensional esophageal organoids to see how inflammatory signals like IL‑13 change GPX3 and downstream pathways. The team will study mice lacking GPX3 to see whether loss of this enzyme causes the same tissue changes seen in EoE, including thickened basal cells and fibrosis. Together these lab and animal approaches are meant to connect patient observations with mechanisms that could be targeted therapeutically.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new ways to protect the esophagus by restoring GPX3 function or reducing damaging oxidative stress.
How similar studies have gone: Previous patient tissue analyses and preclinical mouse and organoid models support a role for antioxidant pathways in EoE, but directly targeting GPX3 as a therapy remains largely untested in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Choksi, Yash — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Choksi, Yash
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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.