I am an Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) with a long-standing research interest in hyperoxic lung injury. My main career goal is to become an established investigator with a focus on understanding the role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in hyperoxia-induced developmental lung injury. The primary objective of my K08 proposal is to obtain the career development award that values protected research time and the involvement of senior mentors to formulate an educational curriculum and oversee my research progress, both of which are crucial in attaining my career goals. As a postdoctoral fellow, I investigated the molecular mechanisms of hyperoxic lung injury in adult mice and laid the groundwork for the proposed research. I have enrolled for a PhD offered by Clinical Scientist Training Program at BCM, where I will be educated and trained in molecular methods, molecular genetics, biostatistics, grant writing, and ethics in research to enhance my career development. The renowned BCM provides an outstanding core of mentors and an enriched environment to support my training and research. My primary mentor, Dr. Bhagavatula Moorthy, is a renowned researcher with successful funding in determining the mechanistic roles of cytochrome P450 1A enzymes in hyperoxic lung injury, and the regulation of AhR by the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In addition to Dr. Moorthy, my advisory committee consists of Drs. Stephen Welty, Francesco DeMayo, David Moore, and E. O'Brian Smith of BCM who are leaders in research related to this proposal. We observed that omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, attenuates hyperoxic lung injury in adult wild type mice and oxygen toxicity in adult human lung cells via activation of the AhR. Whether AhR activation results in a similar effect in newborn mice and in newborn human lung cells are unknown. My research will test the central hypotheses that the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), i.e. omeprazole and lansoprazole, protect against hyperoxia-induced alveolar simplification in newborn mice in vivo and against oxygen toxicity in neonatal human lung cells in vitro via activation of the pulmonary AhR. I will test this hypothesis by pursuing the following 3 specific aims: 1. Determine the effects of the PPIs on alveolarization and pulmonary vascularization in hyperoxia-exposed newborn mice. 2. Determine the effects of the PPIs on the activation of pulmonary AhR in newborn wild type (WT) mice. 3. Determine the effects of PPI-mediated activation of the AhR on hyperoxia exposed human neonatal lung cells. The lungs of the air- or hyperoxia-exposed newborn WT and AhR-null mice treated with PPIs will be assessed for AhR activation, alveolarization, pulmonary vascularization, oxidative stress and inflammation. Air- or hyperoxia- exposed neonatal human pulmonary microvascular endothelial and alveolar epithelial cells treated with PPIs in the presence or absence of the AhR will be analyzed for AhR activation, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and necrosis. I anticipate that the results will support my hypotheses, which will lead to novel strategies in the prevention and treatment of BPD in premature infants.

Public Health Relevance

This project is aimed at determining the role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. Successful accomplishment of our aims would lead to the development of innovative strategies for the prevention and treatment of BPD.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) (K08)
Project #
1K08HD073323-01A1
Application #
8579923
Study Section
Pediatrics Subcommittee (CHHD)
Program Officer
Raju, Tonse N
Project Start
2013-08-20
Project End
2018-06-30
Budget Start
2013-08-20
Budget End
2014-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$123,811
Indirect Cost
$9,171
Name
Baylor College of Medicine
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
051113330
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
Shrestha, Amrit Kumar; Menon, Renuka T; Shivanna, Binoy (2018) Leflunomide attenuates oxidative stress in fetal human lung endothelial cells via superoxide dismutase 2 and catalase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 503:2009-2014
Menon, Renuka T; Shrestha, Amrit Kumar; Barrios, Roberto et al. (2018) Hyperoxia Disrupts Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinases 1/2-Induced Angiogenesis in the Developing Lungs. Int J Mol Sci 19:
Menon, Renuka T; Shrestha, Amrit Kumar; Reynolds, Corey L et al. (2018) Long-term pulmonary and cardiovascular morbidities of neonatal hyperoxia exposure in mice. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 94:119-124
Kalikkot Thekkeveedu, Renjithkumar; Guaman, Milenka Cuevas; Shivanna, Binoy (2017) Bronchopulmonary dysplasia: A review of pathogenesis and pathophysiology. Respir Med 132:170-177
Menon, Renuka T; Shrestha, Amrit Kumar; Shivanna, Binoy (2017) Hyperoxia exposure disrupts adrenomedullin signaling in newborn mice: Implications for lung development in premature infants. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 487:666-671
Shrestha, Amrit Kumar; Patel, Ananddeep; Menon, Renuka T et al. (2017) Leflunomide induces NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 enzyme via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in neonatal mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 485:195-200
Shivanna, Binoy; Maity, Suman; Zhang, Shaojie et al. (2016) Gene Expression Profiling Identifies Cell Proliferation and Inflammation as the Predominant Pathways Regulated by Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Primary Human Fetal Lung Cells Exposed to Hyperoxia. Toxicol Sci 152:155-68
Patel, Ananddeep; Zhang, Shaojie; Shrestha, Amrit Kumar et al. (2016) Omeprazole induces heme oxygenase-1 in fetal human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells via hydrogen peroxide-independent Nrf2 signaling pathway. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 311:26-33
Reynolds, Corey L; Zhang, Shaojie; Shrestha, Amrit Kumar et al. (2016) Phenotypic assessment of pulmonary hypertension using high-resolution echocardiography is feasible in neonatal mice with experimental bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary hypertension: a step toward preventing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 11:1597-605
Patel, Ananddeep; Zhang, Shaojie; Moorthy, Bhagavatula et al. (2015) Omeprazole does not Potentiate Acute Oxygen Toxicity in Fetal Human Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells Exposed to Hyperoxia. Pharm Anal Acta 6:

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