New Treatments for Lung Scarring

Grant number: 509001 | Funding period: 2008 - 2010

Completed

Abstract

The development of scar tissue is a normal response to tissue injury. When airway and lung tissue is injured by exposure to irritants, scarring greatly diminishes the function of the lung to allow transfer of oxygen to the tissue. In severe disease, the scarring may be fatal. We discovered that two factors involved in formation of scar tissue neutralise each other's effects. We are examining this interaction in human lung to develop new treatments for scarring-related lung diseases.

Related publications (6)

Scholarly works icon

Transforming growth factor-β-Induced differentiation of airway smooth muscle cells is inhibited by fibroblast growth factor-2

M Schuliga, A Javeed, T Harris, Y Xia, C Qin, Z Wang, X Zhang, PVS Lee, B Camoretti-Mercado, AG Stewart

2013-01-01

In asthma, basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) plays an important (patho)physiological role. This study examines the effects of..

Scholarly works icon

Plasminogen activation by airway smooth muscle is regulated by type I collagen

M Schuliga, T Harris, AG Stewart

2011-06-01

Plasmin, the activated protease product of plasminogen, is involved in collagen remodeling, and is strongly implicated in asthma p..

Scholarly works icon

R2D 2 for C 4Eo: An 'alliance' of PGD 2 receptors is required for LTC 4 production by human eosinophils

GA MacKay, AG Stewart

2011-04-01

Eosinophils play important roles in limiting parasitic infection and in allergic inflammation in the asthmatic airways. Activation..

Scholarly works icon

Collagen remodelling by airway smooth muscle is resistant to steroids and β2-agonists

JE Bourke, X Li, SR Foster, E Wee, H Dagher, J Ziogas, T Harris, JV Bonacci, AG Stewart

2011-01-01

Bi-directional interactions between airway smooth muscle (ASM) and the altered extracellular matrix (ECM) may influence airway wal..

Scholarly works icon

Airway smooth muscle remodels pericellular collagen fibrils: Implications for proliferation

M Schuliga, SC Ong, L Soon, F Zal, T Harris, AG Stewart

2010-04-01

Airway wall remodeling comprises a broad range of structural changes including increases in the volume of airway smooth muscle (AS..

Scholarly works icon

Fibrillar collagen clamps lung mesenchymal cells in a nonproliferative and noncontractile phenotype

MJ Schuliga, I See, SC Ong, L Soon, B Camoretti-Mercado, T Harris, AG Stewart

2009-12-01

Pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by phenotypic changes to mesenchymal cells and an increase in the deposition of fibrillar coll..

University of Melbourne Researchers