Electrophilic Fatty Acid Derivatives in Asthma

Relevant to asthma, the chemical identities and potent anti-inflammatory signaling actions of endogenously-produced Electrophilic Fatty acid OXidation products (EFOXs) have recently been described. Endogenous EFOXs include nitro and alpha and beta-unsaturated ketone derivatives of unsaturated fatty acids that are generated as byproducts of a) fatty acid oxidation and nitration by inflammatory-derived reactive species and b) enzymatic fatty acid oxygenation reactions catalyzed by cyclooxygenase-2 and lipoxygenases. Recent data reveal that multiple salutary post-translational protein modifications are induced by EFOXs. Specifically, the covalent adduction of functionally-significant thiols in signaling proteins occurs, with these reactions modulating critical inflammatory signaling pathways. These signaling proteins include the nuclear lipid receptor PPARg and the redox-sensitive transcription factors NF kappaB and Keap1/Nrf2. This proposed research investigates the concept that the reversible reaction of EFOXs with critical transcription factors results in the regulation of adaptive responses to inflammation. In this clinical study, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) will be obtained from asthmatics treated with COX-2 inhibitors that enhance (aspirin) and inhibit (indomethacin) COX-2 dependent EFOX generation, as well as from those assigned to no intervention. BAL will be obtained from healthy, non-smoking adults with controlled asthma having at least a 12% increase in FEV1 after short-acting bronchodilator treatment or a positive methacholine response (reduction in FEV1 ≥ 20% at or before 16 mg/ml). A total of 30 asthmatic subjects will be randomized (10 per arm) to a) aspirin, b) indomethacin or c) no intervention groups