How bloodstream bacteria make pores in lung blood-vessel cells that lead to sudden lung failure
Mechanistic role of membrane pore formation in lung-endothelial barrier failure due to blood-borne pathogens.
This research looks at whether Pseudomonas bacteria in the blood form tiny pores in lung blood-vessel cells that let calcium in and cause dangerous fluid leakage, and whether strengthening those cells can prevent ARDS in people with severe bacterial infections.
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-11171649 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are trying to understand how Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the bloodstream can enter lung blood-vessel cells and trigger pore formation that leads to loss of the vessel barrier and fluid-filled lungs (ARDS). They use live-mouse lung imaging, genetically modified mice, and models of bacteremia and sepsis to watch these events happen in real time. The team will test the role of gasdermin D (a pore-forming protein), the cell's membrane-repair machinery (ESCRT-III), calcium entry effects on the actin skeleton, and whether cell-permeable proteins that boost actin can protect vessels. While these experiments are in animals, the goal is to find mechanisms and potential therapies that could later be developed for people at risk of ARDS from bacterial sepsis.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with or at high risk for ARDS from bloodstream infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (severe bacterial sepsis) would be the eventual patient group most likely to benefit.
Not a fit: Patients whose ARDS is caused by non-infectious insults (like trauma or inhalation injury) or by other unrelated diseases may not benefit from therapies targeting this bacterial pore mechanism.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to keep fluid out of the lungs and prevent or lessen ARDS caused by bloodstream bacterial infections.
How similar studies have performed: Related basic-science work on gasdermin D and membrane-repair pathways has shown promising results in animal models, but therapies based on these mechanisms remain unproven in people.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bhattacharya, Jahar — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Bhattacharya, Jahar
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.