These cells play a key role in our health in many ways and they are of particular interest to a team of researchers at St. Joseph s Hospital led by Dr. Luke Janssen. Dr. Janssen and his colleagues are studying the chemical effect of restricting oxygen supply to human vascular and airway cells. The lack of oxygen to these cells triggers a chain reaction of chemical and electrical signals that until now has not been well understood. The focus of this research is on molecules called isoprostanes. These molecules are produced when cells receive less oxygen than they should.
Prostaglandins cause pain and inflammation in damaged tissues - leukotrienes cause asthma.
To date, there have been only a few studies of the effects of isoprostanes on vascular and airway tissues - none using human tissue. As well, almost nothing is known about how isoprostanes trigger cell changes with electrical signals. The challenge facing Dr. Janssen and his team is to examine the function and effect of isoprostanes and to work towards developing drugs that will block them. In addition, there appear to be many types of isoprostanes, making this research even more complex and interesting. We have only known about isoprostanes for a few years, says Dr. Janssen.