Prevention of pleural adhesion formation by treatment with growth factors

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/353554

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

Damage to the lining of the chest and abdominal cavities and to cells covering the lungs and other internal organs by infection or surgery almost always results in the formation of adhesions. Adhesions are bridges of fibrous material between organs and the body wall. In the chest cavity they can prevent the effective drainage of fluids that build up during infection or after injury leading to deterioration of health and even death. In the abdominal cavity they are a major cause of intestinal obstruction and female infertility. In Australia, adhesions affect 9,500 patients annually, accounting for 6% of all hospital readmissions at a cost of over $100 million. This project will use animal models to investigate the specific role of a growth factor called hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on the healing of the cells lining the internal body cavity and its effect on inhibiting adhesion formation. Using genetically manipulated mice, drug delivery and gene therapy approaches, the effect of changing the levels of HGF in tissues lining the internal body cavities on repair and adhesion formation will be assessed and mechanisms of action elucidated . A better understanding of the way cells lining these cavities heal and the factors that can improve the healing process, may lead to the development of novel therapies to prevent adhesion formation, which will benefit all future patients with chest cavity infections and those who undergo thoracic and abdominal surgery.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2005

End Date: 01-01-2007

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $268,000.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Respiratory Diseases

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

growth factor | mesothelial cells | pleural adhesions | pleural adhesions and fibrosis | respiratory disease | tissue regeneration | tissue repair

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