Role of Interleukin-17 during Acute Lung Injury and Septic Shock in vivo

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Markus Bosmann
• Subject Area: Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens ; Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
• Term: from 2009 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 157542375

Acute lung injury and septic shock are among the leading causes of hospitalization and death in developed countries. Understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of these conditions is crucial for developing new strategies of causative therapy. Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a new cytokine that is thought to play an important role in innate immunity, providing protection against infections by gram negative bacteria and perhaps other microorganisms. On the other hand, excessive levels of IL-17 locally or systemically may be harmful due to the unleashing of an excessive inflammatory response. Recent studies suggest that, in an experimental sepsis model in mice (cecal ligation and puncture), interception of IL-17 with neutralizing antibody greatly improves survival. Since lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from gram negative bacteria is highly proinflam-matory both in animal models and humans, and LPS is thought to play an important role in a variety of infectious diseases including acute lung injury and septic shock, I seek to investigate the role of IL-17 in LPS induced inflammatory reactions in mice.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. Peter A. Ward