# Inhalation Exposure to Aerosolized Cyanotoxins Worsens Pre-Existing Asthma via Activation of Granulocytic Inflammation

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO HEALTH SCI CAMPUS · 2021 · $39,732

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are on the rise globally and pose serious health concerns due to
the release of cyanotoxins, which are harmful to both humans and the environment. Microcystin-
LR (MC-LR) is one of the most frequently produced cyanotoxins and has recently been detected
in aerosols generated by the normal motions of affected bodies of water. In the literature and our
own preliminary data, it has been observed that MC-LR exposure of the airways leads to mixed
granulocytic inflammation, with abundant indications of a Type 1 neutrophilic response.
Granulocytic inflammation drives 4 of the 5 endotypes of asthma, which is the most common
airway condition in the world and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease
and stroke. However, the impact that MC-LR exposure may have on the over 330 million patients
with pre-existing asthma remains unknown. Therefore, the overall hypothesis is that inhalation
exposure to MC-LR worsens the symptoms of neutrophil-driven asthma by promoting granulocytic
inflammation and stimulating effector immune mediators of airway inflammation. To address this
hypothesis, Aim 1 is to expand on our preliminary studies by assessing the response to aerosol
exposure by a 3-D human airway epithelium reconstructed in vitro from healthy and asthmatic
donors. For Aim 2, we will assess key phenotypic characteristics such as lung function and
immune infiltrates in a murine model of asthma after inhalation exposure to MC-LR aerosols. The
information gathered in this study will inform communities around the world of the risks associated
with exposure to aerosolized MC-LR, and how this environmental toxin may worsen disease in
at-risk populations, potentially influencing local policies to protect people living on or around
affected bodies of water. The pursuit of this project will provide excellent training opportunities in
diverse models for exposure science, pulmonary science, and immunotoxicology. Specialized
equipment available at the University of Toledo Health Science Campus will enable these novel
studies. Furthermore, professionals from institutions including Wayne State University, University
of Michigan and multiple Department of Energy National Laboratories will provide guidance and
unique training in powerful techniques which will assure a strong independent research career in
these fields of interest.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10315462
- **Project number:** 1F31HL160178-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO HEALTH SCI CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** Joshua David Breidenbach
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $39,732
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-27 → 2024-08-26

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10315462

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10315462, Inhalation Exposure to Aerosolized Cyanotoxins Worsens Pre-Existing Asthma via Activation of Granulocytic Inflammation (1F31HL160178-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10315462. Licensed CC0.

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