Wednesday, December 31, 2025 12/31/2025

Epithelial-immune cell crosstalk during injury and recovery in acute pancreatitis

Award Number: R01DK128102
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES & DIGESTIVE & KIDNEY DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 12/22/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2026

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Epithelial-immune cell crosstalk during injury and recovery in acute pancreatitis - Acute pancreatitis (AP), an inflammatory disorder of the pancreas, is the most common gastrointestinal condition requiring hospitalization in the United States resulting in 275,000 hospital admissions annually. While many suffer only mild illness, some progress to severe AP characterized by multisystem organ failure and death. Intact immunity is vital for tissue protection and recovery from AP and data suggests that imbalance in pro and anti- inflammatory cytokines may underlie progression of disease. Evidence exists of communication between immune and epithelial cells in the pancreatic microenvironment but its role in AP remains understudied and further understating is needed to identify potential therapies aimed at enhancing organ repair. Interleukin-22 (IL22) has emerged as an important cytokine in host defense and tissue repair within the gastrointestinal tract and is often active in areas of inflammation. Previous studies and our own data have shown that IL22 signaling reduces tissue damage during AP by mechanisms related to autophagy. IL22 binding protein (IL22BP), a soluble neutralizing receptor, suppresses IL22 activity, and functions to maintain homeostasis. Only recently discovered, it is released from dendritic cells (DC) in response to retinoic acid stimulation and binds to IL22 with very high affinity. Induction of AP in mice using the cholecystokinin analogue cerulein results in a significant drop in IL22BP, suggesting it may serve as an adaptive response to tissue injury, enhancing protective IL22 signaling. Further supporting this is the markedly reduced pancreatic damage in transgenic mice lacking IL22BP given similar doses of cerulein. The goal of this proposal is to improve our understand of how IL22 signaling is regulated in AP through changes in expression of IL22BP. This is important as we have previously demonstrated that continued overexpression of IL22 is associated with malignant transformation in the pancreas. Our central hypothesis is that tissue injury in AP leads to an adaptive decrease in IL22BP which results from changes in RA metabolism. A return of IL22BP expression after recovery results in homeostatic suppression of IL22 signaling. We will test this hypothesis using transgenic mouse models and serum samples from a human AP cohort. Specific aim 1 will determine the mechanisms underlying the observed decreased tissue damage experienced by IL22BP-/- mice subjected to AP. We will explore changes in IL22 signaling, particularly related to autophagy and enhancement of genes involved in regeneration. Based on preliminary data that a key RA producing enzyme, ALDH1A1, is markedly reduced in AP, specific aim 2 will further characterize retinoic acid metabolism in the pancreas during injury and recovery. This will include in vivo studies using pharmacologic measures to inhibit RA anabolism with the goal of further reducing IL22BP production. Specific aim 3 will explore the crosstalk between acinar and immune cells and the role of autocrine and paracrine signaling of RA in DC production of IL22BP. Use of RA receptor blockade will be explored as a clinically relevant method to further reduce the adaptive decrease in IL22BP during AP, enhancing tissue recovery and preventing progression to severe AP.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $441,016 )
2026	2026	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	1109 GEDDES AVE STE 3300	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	5	12/15/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$441,016
														Subtotal = $441,016

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $396,914 )
2025	2025	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	1109 GEDDES AVE, SUITE 3300	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	4	11/27/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$396,914
														Subtotal = $396,914

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $424,129 )
2024	2024	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	1109 GEDDES AVE, SUITE 3300	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	3	11/3/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$397,620
2024	2024	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	1109 GEDDES AVE, SUITE 3300	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	001	3	5/30/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$26,509
														Subtotal = $424,129

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $446,784 )
2023	2023	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	503 THOMPSON STREET	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	001	2	1/9/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$44,678
2023	2023	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	503 THOMPSON ST	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	2	12/2/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$402,106
														Subtotal = $446,784

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $446,784 )
2022	2022	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	503 THOMPSON ST	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research	000	1	12/21/2021	NEW	$446,784
														Subtotal = $446,784

Grand Total All Awards = $2,155,627

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Epithelial-immune cell crosstalk during injury and recovery in acute pancreatitis

Award Number: R01DK128102

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES & DIGESTIVE & KIDNEY DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 12/22/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2026

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