CC16: A link between airway infection and obstructive lung disease.
Asthma and COPD are the most commonly diagnosed chronic lung diseases in the United States. While it is now recognized that a percentage of severe asthmatics develop fixed airway obstruction, little is known pertaining to the basic underlying mechanisms of this progression. This proposal will examine the role of club cell secreted protein (CC16) in the context of airway infection as a previously overlooked link in understanding this progression. Our preliminary data provides strong supportive evidence that CC16 is an important mediator during M. pneumoniae infection. However, these findings may be immediately applicable to other pulmonary pathogens. Since CC16 is an established biomarker, our studies may provide a novel therapeutic approach for treating individuals with low circulating CC16 in order to prevent lung function decline over time.