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A Pathogenic Smoke Associated Neutrophilic Exosomal Pathway.

Award Number: R01HL162705
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, & BLOOD INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2027

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A Pathogenic Smoke Associated Neutrophilic Exosomal Pathway. - Project Summary Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disease believed to be driven by protease-antiprotease imbalance. The mechanisms leading to this imbalance have yet to be fully understood. Recent work has suggested that exosomes (small nanovesicles released by cells) from activated neutrophils (PMNs) are coated in neutrophil elastase (NE) from degranulated PMNs and this exosome associated NE renders it protected from its native antiprotease, alpha-1-antitrypsin (α1AT). This resistance to α1AT makes exosome associated NE several log-fold more potent in causing a COPD disease-like phenotype in mouse models than free NE in solution. These PMN exosomes can bind to type I collagen and degrade structural extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Of bigger significance, these PMN derived NE+ exosomes can cause alveolar destruction in a mouse model and these NE+ exosomes can be found in the BALF of COPD patients, but not healthy never smoker controls, indicating an important role for exosome associated NE in COPD disease progression. This grant will identify the mechanism of NE association to the surface of PMN exosomes as well as focusing on molecules to disrupt this association, rendering the NE susceptible to α1AT inactivation. Furthermore, this grant will develop a smoking mouse model of NE+ PMN exosome production and disease transfer to naïve mice, effectively creating a mouse-mouse transfer model of disease. Additionally, this grant will correlate the presence of PMN NE+ exosomes in COPD patient BALF with other significant parameters of COPD severity. Moreover, PMN derived NE+ exosomes from other, less invasive patient fluid samples, serum and sputum, will be quantified and their ability to transfer disease to mouse model of COPD will be compared to those from patient BALF. Additionally, substances studied that can dissociate NE from the exosome surface can be developed into potential therapeutic targets.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $371,250 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH STREET	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Lung Diseases Research	000	4	4/16/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$371,250
														Subtotal = $371,250

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $371,250 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH STREET	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Lung Diseases Research	000	3	3/21/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$371,250
														Subtotal = $371,250

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $371,250 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Lung Diseases Research	000	2	4/13/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$371,250
														Subtotal = $371,250

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $371,250 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Lung Diseases Research	000	1	4/26/2022	NEW	$371,250
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Lung Diseases Research	001	1	9/26/2022	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $371,250

Grand Total All Awards = $1,485,000

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A Pathogenic Smoke Associated Neutrophilic Exosomal Pathway.

Award Number: R01HL162705

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, & BLOOD INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2027

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