Our laboratories are carrying out a number of studies to examine the interactions between the resident cells of the lung and blood derived leukocytes. In asthma large numbers of infiltrating eosinophils are found in the lung. With funding from the Wellcome Trust, we are examining how cytokines and chemokines are able to induce the activation of eosinophils, and assessing the ability of these agents to induce eosinophil migration in vivo. We are also examining the factors regulating the production of cytokines and chemokines in antigen-challenged tissue and from cultured epithelial cells.
Lung infection is the major cause of mortality and morbidity in cystic fibrosis.
The most significant infective agents for cystic fibrosis patients are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia. In work funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, we are examining the interactions between these bacteria and human defence mechanisms. We have found that clinically relevant strains of bacteria are very potent inducers of chemokine production by epithelial cells. This response is likely to contribute to the massive recruitment of neutrophils seen in the infected cystic fibrosis lung. We are currently examining the ability of bacteria to influence the apoptosis of epithelial cells from normal and cystic fibrosis lungs, as well as the interactions between clinically relevant bacterial strains and neutrophils.