Restoring cofilin-1 to help airway cells heal in chronic bronchitis
Role of Cofilin-1 in Mitochondrial Quality Control Influencing Mechanisms of Airway Epithelial Dysfunction in Chronic Bronchitis
Looks at whether returning a protein called cofilin-1 to healthy levels can help airway cells repair damage in people with chronic bronchitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326179 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses airway cells taken from people with chronic bronchitis and lab models exposed to cigarette smoke to see how low cofilin-1 weakens the airway lining. Researchers will change cofilin-1 levels and modify actin dynamics to observe effects on mitochondrial health, fission/fusion, and the movement of healthy mitochondria between cells. The work tests whether fixing these cellular processes restores a continuous, healthy epithelial layer. Findings may point toward new ways to protect or repair airway cells in COPD.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with chronic bronchitis or COPD who are willing to provide airway cell samples or participate in related specimen collection.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate symptom relief should not expect direct benefit because this grant supports laboratory research on cell samples rather than a clinical treatment trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new treatments that help airway cells repair and slow lung decline in chronic bronchitis.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory data from this group show that restoring cofilin-1 and reducing excess polymerized actin improves airway cell layer integrity, although translation into human therapies has not yet been established.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sidhaye, Venkataramana K — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Sidhaye, Venkataramana K
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.