Significance. Acute lung injury (ALI) due to lung infection is a major cause of mortality and morbidity. The role of resident alveolar macrophages (AMs) in the pathology remains inadequately understood because of the lack of in situ studies. We will focus on sessile alveolar macrophages (SAMs), which we recently identified as alveolus-adherent, resident AMs. Since SAMs generate cytosolic Ca2+ (cCa2+) increases after LPS exposure, one major goal is to evaluate the significance of these cCa2+ responses as determinants of progressive mitochondrial dysfunction during development of ALI. Another major goal is to define how SAMs integrate with alveolar function as regards pathogen delivery and micromechanical interactions with the alveolar epithelium. New mechanistic understanding of ALI will be achieved.
Specific Aims. The specific aims are first, to determine the role of mitochondrial Ca2+ buffering (MCB) in SAMs as a mechanism by which cCa2+ increases determine increases of mitochondrial Ca2+ (mCa2+) and mitochondrial H2O2 production. Second, to determine the role of alveolar wall liquid and alveolar surfactant as mechanisms of pathogen delivery to SAMs, and the extent of alveolar mechanical interactions with SAMs. Approach. We will achieve these aims by live confocal microscopy of isolated perfused mouse lungs in conjunction with flow cytometry of SAMs extracted from lung tissue and from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), histology and survival studies. Our determinations will include: (1) cCa2+ and mitochondrial Ca2+ in SAMs of intact alveoli; (2) assays of MCB and of mROS; (3) assaying role of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) in Ca2+ regulation in SAMs through use of specific mutants, siRNA and mice; (4) expression of light-activated probes to optogenetically induce cCa2+ increase and generate mitochondrial H2O2; (5) Expression of a tension sensor to detect SAM dimensional changes during lung stretch. Impact. This proposal will lead to the first systematic understanding of the role of mitochondria as determinants of macrophage function in situ. The extent to which loss of the macrophage MCU exacerbates ALI, and the extent to which MCU reinstatement in SAMs promote lung repair will be defined. Mechanisms underlying pathogen delivery to AMs will be understood for the first time. New understanding achieved may contribute to development of macrophage based cell therapy for ALI.

Public Health Relevance

This project aims to determine fundamental mechanisms underlying acute lung injury (ALI) due to severe lung inflammation caused by gram-negative infection. The Specific Aims will define the role of mitochondria in calcium regulation in resident alveolar macrophages (AMs), and they will also define mechanisms that integrate functions of AM with alveolar physiology. These studies will be carried out in the lung inflammation context. The findings of this research are likely to impact AM-based therapeutic strategies for ALI.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01HL057556-19A1
Application #
9403476
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Aggarwal, Neil Raj
Project Start
1997-09-12
Project End
2021-07-31
Budget Start
2017-08-01
Budget End
2018-07-31
Support Year
19
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Columbia University (N.Y.)
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
621889815
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10032
Sinha, Pratik; Islam, Mohammad N; Bhattacharya, Sunita et al. (2016) Intercellular mitochondrial transfer: bioenergetic crosstalk between cells. Curr Opin Genet Dev 38:97-101
Bhattacharya, Jahar; Westphalen, Kristin (2016) Macrophage-epithelial interactions in pulmonary alveoli. Semin Immunopathol 38:461-9
Westphalen, Kristin; Gusarova, Galina A; Islam, Mohammad N et al. (2014) Sessile alveolar macrophages communicate with alveolar epithelium to modulate immunity. Nature 506:503-6
Looney, Mark R; Bhattacharya, Jahar (2014) Live imaging of the lung. Annu Rev Physiol 76:431-45
Huertas, Alice; Das, Shonit R; Emin, Memet et al. (2013) Erythrocytes induce proinflammatory endothelial activation in hypoxia. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 48:78-86
Bhattacharya, Jahar; Matthay, Michael A (2013) Regulation and repair of the alveolar-capillary barrier in acute lung injury. Annu Rev Physiol 75:593-615
Emin, Memet T; Sun, Li; Huertas, Alice et al. (2012) Platelets induce endothelial tissue factor expression in a mouse model of acid-induced lung injury. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 302:L1209-20
Quadri, Sadiqa K; Sun, Li; Islam, Mohammad Naimul et al. (2012) Cadherin selectivity filter regulates endothelial sieving properties. Nat Commun 3:1099
Islam, Mohammad Naimul; Das, Shonit R; Emin, Memet T et al. (2012) Mitochondrial transfer from bone-marrow-derived stromal cells to pulmonary alveoli protects against acute lung injury. Nat Med 18:759-65
Parthasarathi, Kaushik; Bhattacharya, Jahar (2011) Localized acid instillation by a wedged-catheter method reveals a role for vascular gap junctions in spatial expansion of acid injury. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 294:1585-91

Showing the most recent 10 out of 32 publications