Pulmonary Inflammation Group
The major theme of the research in this group is the study of inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of asthma, including mechanisms of inflammatory cell recruitment, airway hyper-reactivity and airway wall remodelling. The investigators provide complementary expertise, facilitating the study of both clinical disease and a unique animal experimental model. Specific projects include: a clinical and in vitro study of airway epithelial cell- and mast cell-derived nitric oxide (NO) as a marker of inflammation following allergen challenge, together with investigation of the mechanisms that trigger its production; and animal experimental studies of the mechanisms underlying inflammation, airway wall remodelling and hyperreactivity in a long-term inhalational exposure model of chronic asthma, and of potential therapeutic interventions.
Researchers
Professor Rakesh Kumar
A/Professor Paul Thomas
Sharron Chow, Research Assistant
Cristan Herbert, PhD Student
Jessica Siegle, Honours Student
Michelle Thurston, Honours Student
Selected Publications
Temelkovski J, Hogan SP, Shepherd DP, Foster PS,
Kumar RK. An improved murine model of asthma: selective airway inflammation, epithelial lesions and increased methacholine responsiveness following chronic exposure to aerosolised allergen.
Thorax 1998; 53:849-56.
Thomas PS. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha: the role of this multifunctional cytokine in asthma.
Immunol Cell Biol. 2001;79:132-40.
Yates DH, Breen H,
Thomas PS. Passive smoke inhalation decreases exhaled nitric oxide in normal subjects.
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2001;164:1043-6.
Kumar RK,
Herbert C, Yang M, Koskinen AML, McKenzie ANJ, Foster PS. Role of interleukin-13 in eosinophil accumulation and airway remodelling in a mouse model of chronic asthma.
Clin. Exp. Allergy 2002; 32:1104-11.
Foster PS, Yang M,
Herbert C,
Kumar RK. CD4+ T-lymphocytes regulate airway remodeling and hyper-reactivity in a mouse model of chronic asthma.
Lab. Invest. 2002; 82:455-62.
Thomas PS, Bruce C, Birkhead A, Wang XL. Effect of ecNOS polymorphisms and coronary artery disease upon exhaled nitric oxide.
J. Mol. Med. 2002; 80:181-6.
Heywood G,
Thomas PS. Effects of inhaled tumor necrosis factor in subjects with mild asthma.
Thorax 2002; 57: 774-8.
Heywood G,
Thomas PS. Nicorandil inhibits degranulation and TNF-alpha release from RBL-2H3 cells.
Inflamm. Res. 2002; 51:176-181.
Kumar RK, Foster PS. Modeling allergic asthma in mice: pitfalls and opportunities.
Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 2002; 27:267-72.
Kumar RK,
Herbert C,
Thomas PS, Wollin L, Beume R, Yang M, Webb DC, Foster PS. Inhibition of inflammation and remodeling by roflumilast and dexamethasone in murine chronic asthma. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 2003; 307:349-55.
Kumar RK,
Herbert C, Foster PS. Expression of growth factors by airway epithelial cells in a model of chronic asthma: regulation and relationship to subepithelial fibrosis.
Clin. Exp. Allergy 2004; 34:567-75.
Kumar RK,
Herbert C, Webb DC, Li L, Foster PS. Effects of anti-cytokine therapy in a mouse model of chronic asthma.
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2004; 170:1043-8.
Bruce C,
Thomas PS. The effect of marimastat, a metalloprotease inhibitor, on allergen-induced asthmatic hyper-reactivity.
Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 2005; 205:126-32.
Thomas PS, Gibson PG, Wang H, Shah S, Henry RL. The relationship of exhaled nitric oxide to airway inflammation and responsiveness in children.
J. Asthma. 2005; 42:291-5.