How nasal viruses can trigger asthma attacks
The nose-lung cross talk in upper respiratory virus infection induced asthma exacerbations
This project is seeing whether common viral infections in the nose can send immune signals to the lungs that spark asthma flare-ups in people with asthma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11044166 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use mouse models that mimic human asthma and give them nasal viral infections to mirror common colds. They will track immune cells in the nose, lungs, and draining lymph nodes to understand how nasal infection changes lung immunity. The team will also measure breathing function and lung inflammation to determine whether nasal infection worsens asthma-like symptoms. The aim is to map the immune steps of the nose-to-lung signaling so future treatments can interrupt that pathway.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with asthma—especially those who tend to have flare-ups after colds or upper respiratory infections—would be the most relevant group for this work and for future related trials.
Not a fit: People without asthma or whose asthma exacerbations are not linked to viral upper respiratory infections are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or treat virus-triggered asthma attacks by targeting immune responses in the nose or the nose-lung connection.
How similar studies have performed: Previous clinical and animal observations support nose-to-lung interactions, but the detailed immune mechanisms remain largely unproven and this project builds on early findings.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hua, Xiaoyang — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Hua, Xiaoyang
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.