The University of Southern California (USC) Department of Contracts and Grants Division received a $413,958 Project Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837). The purpose of this 1-year award, effective September 22, 2023, is to investigate the role of the protein PUMA in promoting cell death and inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by cigarette smoke exposure. The research aims to elucidate PUMA's involvement in both apoptosis and necroptosis pathways leading to lung epithelial cell death, as well as PUMA's potential role in triggering pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. The project will also evaluate whether inhibiting PUMA can prevent the development of emphysema in a mouse model of cigarette smoke-induced COPD. Successful completion of this research is expected to provide proof-of-principle evidence for targeting PUMA as a novel therapeutic approach for COPD treatment.
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