Grant: Project Grant

Nociceptors are sensory nerves activated by harmful stimuli such as thermal changes, mechanical force and chemical insults. They are located in all organs; however, the lungs are densely innervated by sensory nerve fibers. Although we understand how nociceptors trigger cough, sneezing and pain, it has become apparent that sensory nerves might also directly detect pathogens and modulate immune responses. The neuroinflammatory system in the lung remains ill defined. My overall hypothesis is that lung sensory nerves can detect infection and through the selective release of neuropeptides alter the neutrophil response, thereby changing the clinical outcome. To test my hypothesis I have developed mouse models that are deficient in sensory nerves and I am using sophisticated lung imaging to interrogate how these nerves regulate inflammation during homeostasis and during pneumonia. Furthermore, we can now turn on and off nerves using light to demonstrate the function of nerves during infections. Understanding the interplay between the neuro and immune systems is essential to understanding pulmonary diseases.