Airway chemicals and pneumonia risk
Airway metabolites shape susceptibility to pneumonia
This project will find out whether two lung-made chemicals, itaconate and fumarate, lower harmful inflammation but also allow antibiotic-resistant bacteria to persist in pneumonia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11314504 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study chemicals present in infected airways and how they change immune responses to common hospital bacteria like S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa. They will examine how itaconate and fumarate activate antioxidant regulators such as Nrf2 and ATF3 and how that changes immune cell behavior and oxidant levels needed to kill bacteria. The team will use laboratory models, bacterial strains, and analyses of infected airway samples to see whether these metabolites trade protection from tissue damage for persistent infection. Results may point to strategies that balance killing bacteria with protecting lung tissue.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with or at high risk for bacterial pneumonia—especially hospital-acquired or antibiotic-resistant infections from S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, or P. aeruginosa—would be most relevant.
Not a fit: People with viral pneumonia, purely noninfectious lung disease, or conditions unrelated to airway bacterial infections are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could guide new treatments that improve clearance of resistant bacterial pneumonia while reducing lung injury.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies show itaconate and fumarate have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, but linking those effects to persistent, antibiotic-resistant bacterial pneumonia is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Prince, Alice S — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Prince, Alice S
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 below.