UC Riverside

The pulmonary system is essential for survival by providing oxygen through its delicate tissue architecture. It is critical for the pulmonary system to maintain tissue homeostasis of a few-cell-layers-thick structure in the lung for efficient clearance of harmful inhaled particulates and effective oxygen delivery. Importantly, deficiency of lung repair following damage can lead to chronic diseases including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is among the top 10 global killers annually per the World Health Organization, resulting from lung damage by chemicals, pathogens, or unresolved inflammation. Using a model of each of these, this work aims to identify mechanisms of lung repair to help resolve the burden of disease. Since there is currently no therapeutics to promote repair of the lung tissue, this work aims to elucidate the potential for diet and repair proteins to facilitate lung repair and alleviate the global burden of lung disease hallmarked by irreversible damage.Exposure to agricultural hog barn dust drives neutrophilic and infection with soil-transmitted helminth skews towards eosinophilic lung inflammation, leading to lasting lung damage. These are representative of models of afflictions impacting billions in marginalized communities who may work in agriculture and/or be exposed to helminth infections. Tackling lung tissue repair using diet and potential therapeutic targets (FFAR4 and RELMα) may prevent the development of chronic lung disease including COPD and improve the quality of life of billions. This work first addresses the capacity for dairy consumption to improve lung function and protect from asthma in those who have and have not been previously diagnosed with asthma. Asthma shares some similarities with COPD as an obstructive disease that impairs airflow and oxygen exchange. Diet provides a tool for individuals to be empowered with their own health, but the limitations are such that these marginalized communities may also have limited access to quality foods. Thus, a second angle of therapeutically targetable proteins is presented: FFAR4 and RELMα can facilitate inflammation resolution and tissue repair. Together, this work highlights a multi-pronged approach as a steppingstone towards the prevention of lung disease and facilitating the repair of lung tissue.