P08 - TRPML3 in lung emphysema and COPD
The most prevalent chronic lung disease today is COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). It is a global epidemic, affecting nearly 300 million people worldwide, resulting in the death of 3 million individuals each year. Currently, there are no drugs available that can reduce COPD mortality and hence, there is an urgent need for novel and innovative strategies and targets. Chronic inflammation mediated e.g. by macrophages is a central component of COPD. Endolysosomal cation channels, in particular TRPML channels (TRPML1, TRPML2, TRPML3) and two-pore channels (TPC1, TPC2) have been shown recently to be highly expressed in macrophages and have been postulated to control intracellular vesicle trafficking and endolysosomal exocytosis, and to play critical roles in endocytosis and phagocytosis. The relevance of these channels for the development of emphysema and COPD shall be assessed in detail in this project.