Translational Research Center for CAM Therapy of Asthma

这个哮喘CAM治疗的翻译研究中心的目标是确定抗氧化剂、补充疗法和替代医学疗法在哮喘中的应用。为了实现这一目标，我们组建了一支具有独特资格的调查人员团队，他们在这个项目中扮演着独特的角色。项目1(针对哮喘的CAM疗法的第一阶段临床筛选，Dr.Peden，PPG Pi，Alexis，Bromberg&Patel，UNC)将筛选最初由酱博士和Ames(生育酚)确定的或由项目2和3在过敏性哮喘志愿者中新确定的CAM的疗效，进行I阶段概念验证研究，以确定在CAM疗法中，对抗内毒素、臭氧和过敏原诱导的呼吸道炎症的疗效。PPG项目2 密歇根州立大学Wagner&Harkema博士的哮喘CAM疗法临床前评估将评估Project 3确定的抗炎CAM(或CAMS+传统疗法)在过敏原致敏的啮齿动物中的作用，确定这些CAM单独或与传统哮喘疗法结合使用，是否能够钝化由过敏原、内毒素和臭氧(哮喘加重的常见原因)引起的呼吸道炎症。他们还将对CAMS进行经典的动物病理学和药代动力学研究。项目3将利用分子和细胞技术研究生育酚、抗坏血酸、多酚(染料木素和白藜芦醇)对MPO和EPO产生氧自由基、通过环氧合酶和脂氧合酶产生介质以及通过MAP激酶和核因子-kB激活细胞的作用。 对上皮细胞生理学的影响。生物化学核心(艾姆斯博士，核心领导)将评估生育酚氧化和氧化爆发产品的样本，生物标记物和样本库核心(帕特尔博士，核心领导)将为所有项目的样本和组织的细胞因子和介体评估提供支持。这些研究将通过在研究地点之间轮流举行的项目和核心领导人的季度电话会议和半年一次的会议进行协调。北卡罗来纳大学将维护一个所有研究人员都可以访问的服务器，以促进数据共享和最终人类志愿者研究的规划。抗氧化剂的使用是一个研究不足的领域，这些CAM药物很有可能在预防炎症过程介导的哮喘恶化方面有效。

The objective of this Translational Research Center for CAM therapy of Asthma is to identify antioxidant Complementary and Alternative Medicine therapies for application in asthma. To achieve this objective, we have assembled a team of investigators uniquely qualified for their roles in this project. Project 1 (Phase I Clinical Screening of CAM therapies for asthma, Drs. Peden, PPG PI, Alexis, Bromberg & Patel, UNC) will screen the effect of CAMs initially identified by Drs. Jiang and Ames (gamma tocopherol) or newly identified by Projects 2 & 3 in allergic asthmatic volunteers for Phase I proof of concept studies to determine in CAM therapies protect against endotoxin, O3, and allergen induced airway inflammation. Project 2 of the PPG (Preclinical evaluation of CAM therapies for asthma, Drs. Wagner & Harkema, MSU) will evaluate anti-inflammatory CAMs (or CAMs + traditional therpies) identified by Project 3 in allergen sensitized rodents determining if these CAMs, alone and in combination with traditional asthma therapies, blunt exacerbation of airway inflammation due to allergen, endotoxin and ozone (commonly encountered causes of asthma exacerbation). They will also carry out classic animal pathology and pharmacokinetic studies of CAMs. Project 3 of the PPG (Mechanistic Discovery of CAM Therapies for Asthma, Drs. Jiang, Illek and Ames at CHORI), will employ molecular and cellular techniques to examine the actions of tocopherols, ascorbate, polyphenols (genistein and resveratrol) on generation of oxygen radicals by MPO and EPO, mediator production via cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase, and cellular activation via MAP kinases and NF-kB, and impact on epithelial cell physiology. A Biochemistry Core (Dr. Ames, core leader) will assess samples for products of tocopherol oxidation and oxidative burst and a Biomarker and Sample Repository Core (Dr. Patel, core leader) will provide support for cytokine and mediator assessment of samples and tissues for all projects. These studies will be coordinated via quarterly conference calls and semi-annual meetings of the project and core leaders rotated among the study sites. UNC will maintain a server accessable by all investigators to facilitate data sharing and planning of eventual human volunteer studies. Use of antioxidants is an under-investigated area and it is highly likely that these CAM agents will be effective in prevention of asthma exacerbation mediated by inflammatory processes.