Speaker: Saurabh Aggarwal, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor University of Alabama at Birmingham

Title: CXCR4: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Lung Injury

Abstract: The aim of the talk is to determine whether C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) is a potential therapeutic target for inhalation lung injury and HIV-associated pulmonary artery hypertension. Binding of CXCR4 to its natural ligand, stromal-derived-factor-1 (SDF-1), on lung immune, epithelial, and endothelial cells promote migration of circulating immune cells into lungs. We found that elevated SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling post chlorine gas exposure exaggerates pulmonary immune response. CXCR4 also interacts with the HIV-1 protein, Gp120, to initiate viral entry into host cells. We found that cigarette smoking increases CXCR4 expression and Gp120 entry into endothelial cells resulting in endothelial dysfunction and an increase in mean pulmonary artery pressure.