How the inhaled chemicals chloropicrin and phosgene harm the lungs
Pulmonary Pathophysiologic Mechanisms of Chloropicrin and Phosgene
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · NIH-11162500
Researchers are comparing how two inhaled chemicals, chloropicrin and phosgene, cause lung damage to help people exposed to these gases.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (DAVIS, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11162500 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you were exposed to these chemicals, the team will use animal inhalation models and lab tests to find which gas causes worse immediate and delayed lung injury. They will look at which airway and olfactory cells are damaged, how the chemicals bind to protein sulfhydryl groups, and how immune cells like macrophages and neutrophils respond. The researchers will determine lethal dose ranges in mice and study tissue repair processes that lead to early or late lung edema. Findings are intended to point to biological targets for future treatments after exposure.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have been exposed to chloropicrin or phosgene, or first responders caring for them, would be the most likely groups to benefit from treatments informed by this work.
Not a fit: People with lung problems unrelated to inhaled chemical exposures are unlikely to directly benefit from these specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show why some people develop immediate versus delayed lung swelling after exposure and suggest targets for therapies to prevent breathing damage.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies and clinical reports have described lung edema after exposure, but the precise cellular mechanisms are still uncertain and this project applies new mechanistic approaches.
Where this research is happening
DAVIS, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS — DAVIS, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: VAN WINKLE, LAURA S — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- Study coordinator: VAN WINKLE, LAURA 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.
Conditions: Acute Lung Injury, Acute Pulmonary Injury