How the AhR cell sensor affects airways in asthma
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling in Airway Inflammation
This work looks at whether activating a cell sensor called AhR can reduce airway muscle overgrowth and tightening in adults with asthma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oklahoma City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11373485 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study airway smooth muscle cells taken from people and use mouse models of allergic asthma to see how AhR signaling changes cell growth, movement, and scarring. They will test how activating AhR affects responses to triggers such as mitogens, TGFβ, and diesel exhaust particles. The team will use smooth-muscle-specific AhR knockout mice to learn what happens when this sensor is missing and will measure airway responsiveness and remodeling in those models. Lab studies will include gene-expression analysis to identify the pathways by which AhR controls proliferation and extracellular matrix production.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with allergic asthma and airway hyperresponsiveness, especially those with evidence of airway remodeling, would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Children and people without asthma or whose symptoms are not driven by airway smooth muscle changes are unlikely to directly benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new treatments that limit airway muscle thickening and reduce asthma-related airway narrowing.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies show AhR affects immune cells and airway epithelium and early lab data suggest AhR activation can reduce smooth muscle proliferation, but targeting airway smooth muscle AhR is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Oklahoma City, United States
- University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr — Oklahoma City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Venkatachalem, Sathish — University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr
- Study coordinator: Venkatachalem, Sathish
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.