Theranostic Approach to Asthma Using Anti-Angiogenic Nanomedicine

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that affects an estimated 23 million Americans (16 million adults), 12 million of whom experience at least one asthma attack annually. The symptoms of asthma cause significant economic burden on the healthcare systems ($18B in 2008) as well as dramatic impact on the quality of patients' lives. Asthma is characterized by airway inflammation and edema. Recently, the long recognized increase in airway wall microvessel density and expanded blood volume have been suggested to contribute significantly to lung function. This project combines the recognized expertise of Professor Elizabeth Wagner, PhD (PI) in pulmonary angiogenesis physiology and Professor Gregory M. Lanza, MD PhD (PD/PI), whose nanomedicine-based molecular imaging and therapy is well known, particularly in the context of angiogenesis in cancer and atherosclerosis. The overarching hypotheses of this proposal are to use nanomedicine approach to noninvasively characterize bronchial angiogenesis (new vessel formation), to deliver acute antiangiogenic therapy to reduce airway remodeling and improve pulmonary function, and to maintain the acute benefits of this new treatment with standard-of-care low dose steroids.