Biomedical Research Funded in 2001

 

1)      Jeanine Wiener-Kronish, MD, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, Principal Investigator and

Kendra Rumbaugh, PhD, Post Doctoral Fellow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Analysis of dendrimeric Carbohydrates as Potential Therapies for Blocking P. aeruginosa Colonization of the Lungs"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This study seeks to determine the genomic analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogensis,

 

 

which is the number one cause of death in CF patients. They plan to examine the host's

 

 

 

immune system to determine why CF lungs do not readily clear the bacteria from their lungs,

 

 

as non-CF lungs do.

Studies suggest that both the infection site as well as the duration of

 

 

infection influence the virulence of the mentioned bacteria by altering the production of

extracellular virulence factors.

 

 

 

 

 Amount Funded: $35,000.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)      Terry Machen, PhD, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, Principal Investigator and

Christian Schwarzer, PhD, Post Doctoral Fellow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Proton Channels and Acid Secretions in CF Airways"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The purpose of this study was to determine the cause of tissue damage resulting from the

 

 

 

inflammatory response in CF airways. The cell hypothesized to be the key player proved to

 

 

be insignificant, thus more differentiated cells are now being tested in hopes of showing some

 

 

significance. Additionally, Vitamin C has been found to play a regulatory role in transport

 

 

 

across the human airways. The potential benefits of specific products of the airway cells are

 

 

still unknown, but could possibly help in host defense and bacteria killing. Further research

 

 

is required to determine that.

 

Amount Funded: $35,000.00

 

 

 

3)      George Caughey, MD, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, Principal Investigator and

Zhenyue Tong, MD, PhD, Post Doctoral Fellow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Regulation of Airway Epithelial Ion Flux by Membrance-Anchored Proteases"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The goal of this study is to help focus development of pharmaceutical approaches to

 

 

 

normalizing salt and water flux in CF airways. The focus is on prostasin, an ENaC-activating

 

 

protease in humans, and determining whether it aids in sodium transport in human airways.

 

 

Excessive transport of sodium ions across cells lining the bronchi of CF patients is believed

 

 

 

to be a major cause of airway infection. Inhibition of proteases would be helpful in treating CF.

 

Amount Funded: $35,000.00

 

 

 

 

4)      Marybeth Howard, PhD, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, Principal Investigator and

Jeremie Roux, Post Doctoral Fellow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The CF Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Protein and Its Function in Maintenance of Ion Homesostasis"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This study was conducted to determine if the extra-cellular sodium chloride effects the

 

 

 

overall maturation of wild type CFTR, which in turn will further explain CFTR's role in ion

 

 

 

homeostasis. Results show that there is inefficient maturation of CFTR due to misfolding.

 

 

 

Other experiments also suggest that wild type CFTR does not misfold. Further research

 

 

 

will be done to define and understand the efficiency and kinetics of CFTR maturation

 

 

 

in response to short periods of salt stresses. Further research has also shown that

 

 

 

changes in tonicity do not have an effect on the maturation/degradation of the CFTR protein

 

 

in polarized MDCK cells.

 

Amount Funded: $35,000.00