Immune signals that drive gut graft-versus-host disease
Official title: Inflammatory Cytokine Networks in Gastrointestinal Tract Graft Versus Host Disease
Funded at Medical College of Wisconsin · NIH-11229598 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at specific immune signaling proteins and the T cells that make them in people who develop gut inflammation after a donor stem-cell transplant.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical College of Wisconsin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2015 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $595,963 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL126166-15 |
| Project ID | NIH-11229598 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have had an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant and are experiencing acute gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease would be the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without GI involvement (for example those with only skin or liver GVHD) or those long after transplant with unrelated conditions may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, the team is examining immune cells in the colon that produce the inflammatory protein GM-CSF and how those cells differ in their gene activity and timing. They will compare two distinct CD4+ GM-CSF+ T cell populations for differences in responsiveness to signals like IL-7 and IFN-γ and study how IL-34 can block the emergence of these inflammatory cells. The work uses colon tissue and laboratory models to map the pathways that cause tissue damage and to test whether manipulating these cytokine signals can reduce gut inflammation. The goal is to identify specific targets that might calm gut GVHD without broadly suppressing the immune system.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to targeted treatments that reduce gut inflammation and complications after allogeneic stem-cell transplant.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has implicated GM-CSF–producing CD4 T cells in GVHD and cytokine-targeting approaches showed promise in preclinical work, while the IL-34 regulatory pathway is a newer finding.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Drobyski, William R. — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Drobyski, William R.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeting early oral GVHD to improve mouth health after stem cell transplant
A study at UW–Madison will explore why some transplant patients develop painful oral GVHD and test ideas to prevent and lessen mouth-related problems.
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Microbiome-based therapy for treatment-refractory GVHD after stem cell transplant
A microbiome-based therapy is being developed to help people who have graft-versus-host disease that doesn’t respond to standard treatments after a stem cell transplant.
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Role of altered mitochondria in preventing GVHD after stem cell transplant
This NIH grant explores how damaged mitochondria released during pre-transplant conditioning may trigger graft-versus-host disease and tests ways to fix mitochondrial dynamics to prevent GVHD.
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Fecal transplant plus fiber to treat graft-versus-host disease after blood stem cell transplant
A study to see if giving fecal transplant along with dietary fiber helps gut health and reduces complications in patients who have received a stem cell transplant and developed graft-versus-host disease.
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Using medium-chain fatty acids and a fat-sensing receptor to treat chronic graft-versus-host disease
This project looks at whether changing medium‑chain fatty acids or blocking a fat sensor called GPR84 can help people with chronic graft‑versus‑host disease after a bone marrow/stem cell transplant.
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Microbiome-based oral therapy for gut GVHD after stem cell transplant
Researchers are testing an oral live Biotherapeutic Product to help the gut microbiome improve graft-versus-host disease after stem cell transplant patients.
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.