COPD National Action Plan:
Community Action Tool
Discover the progress the COPD community has made toward implementing the goals and objectives in the COPD National Action Plan.

Protective effects of metformin against cigarette smoke-induced lung pathologies via regulation of fatty acids metabolism

Overview

Organization: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Start Date: 09/2024
End Date: Ongoing
Primary Goal: Goal 4: Increase and sustain research to better understand the prevention, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and management of COPD.
Secondary Goal(s):
Objective(s):
  • Help expand, coordinate, and optimize COPD research efforts
Collaboration: Baylor College of Medicine
Activity Type: Research

Activity Description

In this proposal, we will test the central hypothesis that metformin, a common drug used in type 2 diabetes, protects against cigarette smoke (CS)-induced COPD by restoring lipid homeostasis and rescuing fatty acid oxidation (FAO) in alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells. We will use complementary in vitro and in vivo approaches to dissect the mechanisms by which metformin protects AT2 cells from FAO and restores mitochondrial metabolism, which is blunted by CS exposure, and to characterize the lipidomic profile of AT2 cells and blood samples from patients with COPD who have been using metformin. Our studies could stimulate the potential application of metformin in trials aimed at limiting emphysema progression in a selected subset of patients characterized by a specific lipidomic profile that could be targeted by metformin use.

Audience

General Audience: Researchers
Focused Audience: n/a
Program Reach: National
Type of Area: N/A
Setting: Workplace

Cost and Funding Sources

It was funded through the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and funds to be allotted to grantees.

Impact Analysis

Results of their programs are in progress.

Advice or Lessons Learned

In process.

Contact Information

Sarah Olscamp
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Program Analyst
Bethesda
Maryland