Research Focus
The laboratory conducts research on the homeostasis of airway epithelial cells following injury by environmental toxins, bacteria, or allergens. We apply microarray and proteomic techniques, and immunocytochemical methods to study the signaling that controls homeostasis in airway epithelia.
Our studies address persistence of mucous cells caused by dysregulated expression of cell death regulatory proteins in airway epithelia. Therefore we analyze autopsy and biopsy material from patients with chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, and asthma. These studies have implications for treating humans with chronic mucous hypersecretion.
We also investigate the associations of DNA polymorphisms with chronic mucus hypersecretion and chronic airway obstruction in cohorts of men and women who are current and former smokers from the Veterans Hospital and from Lovelace Scientific Resources using high-throughput analysis systems. These studies suggest that the regulation of the Bcl-2 family of proteins is associated with chronic mucus hypersecretion in population-based studies. Therefore, understanding this pathway in more detail could provide therapeutic targets to resolve mucous cell metaplasia and the associated airway obstruction in these chronic diseases. Association of DNA polymorphisms in genes that encode for metalloproteinases with chronic airway obstruction are also being studied in these cohorts of smokers.
We have established that airway epithelial cells, once primed with an injury, have a memory that makes their response different from cells that were not injured. Therefore, we are in the process of investigating the molecular mechanisms that allow airway epithelial cells to store such information, because their inflammatory response is reduced compared to cells that were not primed. These studies may be crucial in reducing inflammation in response to toxins, bacteria, or allergens.
CONTACT
INFORMATION
Fax:
Phone: (505) 348-9495
Fax: (505) 348-8567
Email: ytesfaig@LRRI.org
Lovelace
Respiratory Research Institute
2425 Ridgecrest Dr., SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
Affiliations
- Director of Research Core 3, Environmental Lung Disease NIEHS Center Environmental Exposure and Assessment
- University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy
- American Thoracic Society
- American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- American Association for Cancer Research (AACR, USA)
Current Projects in the Lab
- Identification of the cell types that are removed during the recovery process from inflammation-induced injury of the airway epithelium
— organ cultures from microdissected nasal and bronchial tissues
— primary airway cultures - Identification of Bcl-2 family of proteins essential for the resolution of epithelial cell hyperplasias
- Expression of Bcl-2 family of proteins in airway epithelia of patients with chronic lung diseases, such as chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, and asthma
- Regulation of Bcl-2 expression by its promoter activity and mRNA stability
- Identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms and mutations in genes that encode for proteins regulating expression of Bcl-2 family members and their association with chronic mucus hypersecretion
- Investigating the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes that encode for metalloproteinases with chronic airway obstruction