Using medium-chain fatty acids and a fat-sensing receptor to treat chronic graft-versus-host disease
Official title: Targeting medium chain fatty acid metabolism for the treatment of chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease
Funded at University of Central Florida · NIH-11325709 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Central Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orlando, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $533,587 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL166820-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325709 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people who developed chronic graft‑versus‑host disease after an allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant, especially those with lung or thymus involvement.
✕Less likely to help
People without chronic GVHD, those with only acute GVHD, or patients whose disease is driven by unrelated mechanisms may not benefit from these approaches.
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze blood and stool samples from people with chronic GVHD and run experiments in mouse models to see how medium‑chain fatty acids and the GPR84 receptor change T cell behavior. They will compare normal mice, mice lacking GPR84, and mice fed diets high in medium‑chain fatty acids to observe effects on lung (bronchiolitis obliterans) and thymus damage. Lab studies will use metabolic tracing and cellular analyses to show how this signaling alters immune cell metabolism. The team aims to determine whether blocking GPR84 or altering dietary fatty acids could prevent or reduce organ damage from chronic GVHD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new drug or dietary approaches that reduce organ damage and steroid side effects in people with chronic GVHD.
How similar studies have gone: Targeting T cell metabolism has shown promise in laboratory and animal work, but targeting GPR84 specifically for chronic GVHD is largely new and has not been tested in people.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Central Florida
Orlando, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nguyen, Hung — University of Central Florida
- Study coordinator: Nguyen, Hung
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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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.
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How the protein ID3 controls donor T cells that cause GVHD and fight leukemia
Researchers are looking at whether changing the activity of a protein called ID3 in donor T cells can lower graft-versus-host disease while keeping those cells able to attack leukemia after a stem cell transplant.
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.