Lymphatic changes after lung transplant and risk of bronchiolitis obliterans
Official title: Lymphatic Dysfunction and Development of Post-Transplant Obliterative Bronchiolitis
Funded at Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11251739 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how damage or repair of the lung's lymphatic vessels after transplant affects the chance of developing bronchiolitis obliterans in people who receive lung transplants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $716,049 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL177971-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251739 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people who have had a lung transplant or are planning one, particularly those at risk for or showing early signs of bronchiolitis obliterans.
✕Less likely to help
People without lung transplants or with non-transplant lung conditions are unlikely to directly benefit from this project in the short term.
What this research studies
This project uses mouse models that mimic human lung transplants to see whether losing lymphatic vessels in the graft causes inflammation and scarring of the small airways that leads to bronchiolitis obliterans. The team will track donor versus recipient lymphatic endothelial cells, test genetic approaches that boost lymphatic growth, and study signaling through the LTbR/LTa1b2 pathway. They will also test whether transferring specific Foxp3+ regulatory T cells that express lymphotoxin can protect the transplanted lung. The work aims to map the immune and lymphatic interactions that could be targeted to prevent chronic transplant injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new ways to protect or restore lymphatic function and lower the risk of bronchiolitis obliterans after lung transplant.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies from this group show that loss of lymphatics promotes BOS while boosting lymphangiogenesis or transferring LTb-expressing regulatory T cells can protect, but these strategies remain largely untested in human patients.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hancock, Wayne William — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Hancock, Wayne William
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How respiratory viruses affect long-term lung damage after donor stem cell transplant
Following people who had donor stem cell transplants to see how common respiratory viruses relate to long-term lung damage called bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.
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Predicting early lung disease in children and young adults after stem cell transplant
This work aims to find better ways to screen for and predict a serious lung condition called bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) in children and young adults who have had a stem cell transplant.
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Understanding how lymphatic dysfunction leads to lung complications after transplant
This study is looking at how problems with the lymphatic system might lead to a serious lung issue called bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) after a lung transplant, and it aims to find ways to protect against this condition for patients who have had a transplant.
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Investigating how respiratory viruses affect lung health in transplant patients
This study is looking at how respiratory viruses affect lung health in people who have had a stem cell transplant and are dealing with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, and it will use home devices to keep track of their lung function over time to help catch any problems early.
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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.
-
Innate and Adaptive Immunoregulation in Liver Transplant Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
A liver transplant-focused project investigates how the body’s early and later immune responses affect transplant failure or success after reperfusion.
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.