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Epithelial Drivers of Neutrophil Plasticity in Early Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease

Hallmarks of cystic fibrosis (CF) airway disease include bronchiectasis, airway inflammation by infiltrating polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and recurring infection.

WA Epithelial Research Program for Childhood Respiratory Diseases

Once thought to be a simple barrier to the external environment, epithelial cells are involved in many repair and inflammatory processes that occur in childhood airway diseases.

The Role of Subinhibitory Concentrations of Daptomycin and Tigecycline in Modulating Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections are notoriously complicated by the ability of the organism to grow in biofilms and are difficult to eradicate with antimicrobial therapy.

Overcoming Challenges to Make Bacteriophage Therapy Standard Clinical Treatment Practice for Cystic Fibrosis

Individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) are given antimicrobials as prophylaxis against bacterial lung infection, which contributes to the growing emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens isolated. Pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa that are commonly isolated from individuals with CF are armed with an arsenal of protective and virulence mechanisms, complicating eradication and treatment strategies.

Changes in airway inflammation with pseudomonas eradication in early cystic fibrosis

Neutrophil elastase is a significant risk factor for structural lung disease in cystic fibrosis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway infection is linked with neutrophilic inflammation and substantial respiratory morbidity. We aimed to evaluate how neutrophil elastase (NE) activity changes after P. aeruginosa eradication and influences early disease outcomes. We assessed participants in the AREST CF cohort between 2000 and 2018 who had P. aeruginosa cultured from their routine annual bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and who underwent eradication treatment and a post eradication BAL. Factors associated with persistent P. aeruginosa infection, persistent neutrophilic inflammation following eradication and worse structural lung disease one year post-eradication were evaluated.

COPD-related modification to the airway epithelium permits intracellular residence of nontypeable haemophilus influenzae

Our findings indicate that COPD, cigarette smoke and macrolide antibiotics potentiate the susceptibility to persistent intracellular NTHi

Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition in Respiratory Disease: Fact or Fiction

In this translational review, the mechanisms, roles, and impact of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in chronic lung diseases are discussed

Associate Professor Anthony Kicic

Rothwell Family Fellow; Head, Airway Epithelial Research