How inflammatory signals make airway muscles tighten in asthma
Mechanisms of Cytokine-Mediated Integrin Activation and Force Transmission in Airway Smooth Muscle
This research looks at how inflammatory proteins IL-13 and IL-17A cause airway muscle cells to stick and pull harder in people with asthma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308314 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project focuses on airway smooth muscle cells and the proteins (integrins and cadherins) that tether them to other cells and the surrounding tissue. Researchers will expose cells and airway tissue to the inflammatory proteins IL-13 and IL-17A and use advanced imaging, including two-photon microscopy, to watch how attachments form and transmit force. They will measure how changes in these tethering pathways alter the muscle's ability to narrow the airway. The goal is to link these cell-level changes to the exaggerated airway narrowing that causes asthma symptoms.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with asthma, especially those with moderate to severe disease or those able to provide airway tissue samples, would be the most relevant candidates for participation or future treatments.
Not a fit: People without asthma or those seeking immediate symptom relief from current flare-ups would not directly benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets that prevent airway muscles from tightening, leading to better treatments for asthma.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory work has shown that integrins and cadherins affect force transmission in airway muscle, but applying this knowledge toward patient treatments is still new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sundaram, Aparna Bala — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Sundaram, Aparna Bala
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.