# Lnc-PINK regulation of innate immunity in lung epithelial cells

> **NIH NIH R21** · OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY STILLWATER · 2022 · $187,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The influenza virus infects the respiratory tract and may result in acute respiratory distress syndrome and
pneumonia associated with a high mortality rate. The long-term goal of this project is to understand the
molecular mechanisms how the lung epithelial cells responds to and restricts respiratory virus infection. Innate
immunity is the first responder to respiratory pathogen invasion and provides the first line of defense in the
lung. Thus enhancing the host defense response against respiratory virus by targeting lung epithelial host
factors is a strategy to restrict respiratory virus infection regardless of any viral changes. Long non-coding
RNAs (lncRNAs) are mRNA-like transcripts with a size of > 200 nucleotides, but that do not encode proteins
and are involved in diverse cellular processes including innate immunity. Through RNA sequencing analysis
and molecular cloning, we have identified a novel lncRNA transcript, lnc-PINK1-2:5 in lung epithelial cells that
reduces influenza virus infection and up-regulates the expression of thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP)
that activates NLRP3 inflammasomses. Based on this preliminary data, we hypothesized that lnc-PINK1-2:5
restricts respiratory virus infection by activating NLRP3 inflammasomes via upregulating TXNIP gene
expression in lung epithelial cells. Aim I will establish the functional roles of lnc-PINK1-2:5 in influenza virus
infection of human lung epithelial cells. Aim II will delineate the molecular mechanisms of lnc-PINK1-2:5-
mediated restriction of influenza virus in human lung epithelial cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10365976
- **Project number:** 5R21AI152004-02
- **Recipient organization:** OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY STILLWATER
- **Principal Investigator:** LIN LIU
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $187,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-03-05 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10365976

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10365976, Lnc-PINK regulation of innate immunity in lung epithelial cells (5R21AI152004-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10365976. Licensed CC0.

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