Role of zinc in the respiratory epithelium and asthma

该项目将使用我们实验室开发的一组锌奎宁衍生的锌荧光团，以及针对哺乳动物囊泡锌转运体家族的探针，对呼吸系统中锌的正常生理以及慢性炎症性呼吸系统疾病(哮喘、慢性阻塞性肺病、慢性吸烟)患者的潜在异常进行研究。慢性呼吸道炎症性疾病影响了澳大利亚社区的相当大一部分人。例如，12%的成年人患有哮喘，其中15%的人每周或更频繁地因哮喘醒来，6%的人每年住院。有必要了解这些疾病的基本机制，以便开发新的策略来改善支气管收缩和炎症。该项目将提供有关呼吸道上皮中锌的生理学以及锌缺乏与氧化剂在呼吸道损伤中的相互作用的新知识。我们将评估易于接触的鼻腔上皮细胞作为衡量呼吸道深层锌和锌转运蛋白水平的有效性。该项目涵盖了许多领域，并利用了体外细胞和动物模型，以及来自人类受试者的组织。

This project will use a panel of Zinquin-derived Zn fluorophores developed in our laboratory, as well as probes for the mammalian family of vesicular ZnT transporters, to carry out a study of the normal physiology of Zn in the respiratory system and potential abnormalities of this in patients with chronic inflammatory respiratory disease (asthma, COPD, chronic smoking). Chronic inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract affect a significant proportion of the Australian community. For example, asthma affects 12% of adults and amongst these, 15% waken weekly or more often with their asthma while 6% are hospitalized annually. There is a need to understand the basic mechanisms underlying these diseases so that new strategies can be developed to modify bronchocondtriction and inflammation. The project will provide new knowledge concerning the physiology of Zn in the respiratory epithelium and interactions between Zn deficiency and oxidants on injury in the respiratory tract. The usefulness of easily accessible nasal epithelial cells as a measure of Zn and Zn transporter levels deeper in the respiratory tract will be assessed. The project encompasses a number of fields and utilizes in vitro cellular and animal models, as well as tissues from human subjects.