Quercetin treatment of airway inflammation

Principal Investigator:

Marc Hershenson, M.D.
Depts. of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan

Co-Principal Investigator(s):

Suzanna Zick, N.D., MPH
Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan Integrative Medicine

Funding sources:

• Frederick G.L. Huetwell Endowment Fund
• National Institutions of Health (NIH)
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Time period for subject recruitment (start/end dates):

Time period to be determined
Individuals interested in participating may contact Dr. Hershenson at: mhershen@umich.edu

Abstract:

Inflammatory airways diseases - asthma, chronic bronchitis and cystic fibrosis - remain important causes of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. The purpose of this project is to study the effects of dietary flavonol quercetin, an antioxidant and inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase, on airway inflammation. We will examine the effects of quercetin on biochemical signaling pathways regulating innate immune responses in cultured airway epithelial cells, and on two mouse models of airways disease, cockroach allergen sensitization (mimicking asthma) and Pseudomonas endobronchial infection (mimicking cystic fibrosis and chronic bronchitis). Out pilot data suggest that quercetin attenuates airway epithelial cell expression of interleukin (IL-8), a neutrophil chemoattractant, and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), an eosinophil chemoattractant, in response to pro-inflammatory stimuli. We propose the general hypothesis that quercetin blocks airway inflammation by attenuating epithelial cell chemoattractant expression via PI 3-kinase-dependent mechanisms.

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