Hong Ji, PhD

Research Project:
Reducing Lung Inflammation Caused by Particulate Matter by Boosting Tet1 Protein Activity

Grant Awarded:

Innovation Award

Research Topics:

air pollution
basic biologic mechanisms

Research Diseases:

asthma
COPD

Particulate matter from air pollution has a significant negative impact on the airway and lung and contributes to many lung diseases. It induces a type of lung inflammation that is difficult to treat by currently available medicine in people with severe asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Our research showed that Tet1, a protein that regulates how DNA is transcribed into RNA, can protect the lungs from this type of inflammation, and that targeting this protein may provide an opportunity to treat lung diseases induced and promoted by particulate matter. Studies from our group also suggest that this protective role of Tet1 may be due to the regulation of the pathway that fights against oxidative stress, a process that can potentially damage cells and is produced by particulate matter and other components of air pollution. We will investigate how Tet1 regulates the genes in this oxidative stress response pathway and test whether we can reduce lung inflammation by promoting Tet1 activity and regulate oxidative stress response.

Supported by the Mary Fuller Russell Fund

Page last updated: November 20, 2024

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