Project Grant R01HL183195

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute awarded the University of Washington $814,385 on September 1, 2026, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) to investigate the role of secreted phospholipase A2 group X (sPLA2-X) in airway physiology and asthma pathogenesis.

The research examines how sPLA2-X, an enzyme secreted into airways and elevated in asthma patients, contributes to airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness. The work combines human localization studies identifying sPLA2-X expression in ciliated airway epithelial cells, macrophages, eosinophils, and mast cells with mouse genetic models demonstrating that deletion of the PLA2G10 gene confers marked protection from airway inflammation and dysfunction. The project further investigates sPLA2-X secretion in response to osmotic stress—a non-allergic bronchoconstriction stimulus—and explores both allergen-dependent and allergen-independent innate pathways driving asthma pathophysiology.

Performance occurs in Seattle, Washington, with the award obligated through May 31, 2030. The University of Washington's Office of Sponsored Programs, serving as the administrative recipient, acts as prime recipient for the institution's federal research portfolio and administers the award through its grant administration infrastructure.