Stopping type 2 inflammation–driven airway muscle tightening in asthma
Targeting T2 inflammation-evoked mechanical endotypes of ASM shortening in asthma
Working on new drugs to relax airway muscles that are made overly tight by type 2 inflammation in people with asthma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11311363 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have asthma, this project is trying to understand why the muscles in your airways tighten more in some people. The team studies human airway smooth muscle cells and preclinical models to see how type 2 (T2) inflammation changes the muscle's contraction machinery, focusing on bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) and molecules called EZH2 and miR-214. They will test candidate compounds that act through these pathways to find bronchodilators that keep working even when inflammation or tolerance reduces current medicines' effects. The goal is to identify treatments that relax airways more reliably and for longer than today's options.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with asthma, especially those with evidence of type 2 (T2) inflammation or reduced response to β2-agonist bronchodilators, would be the ideal candidates for future therapies from this work.
Not a fit: People without asthma or whose airway problems are not driven by T2 inflammation are unlikely to directly benefit from these specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new bronchodilator drugs that work better for people whose asthma is driven by T2 inflammation and who do not get enough relief from current therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory studies have shown that activating TAS2Rs can relax airway muscle, but translating these findings into new drugs that overcome inflammation-driven loss of bronchodilation is still largely unproven and is a novel focus of this project.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: An, Steven S — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: An, Steven 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.