Lymphatic vessels in the asthmatic lung - Unexplored roads to the lymph node

The nature and heterogeneity of lymphatic endothelial cells in lung tissue are largely unknown and
the contribution of lymphatic vessels to chronic respiratory diseases has not been widely studied.
Bronchial asthma is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory disease of the airways which is
increasingly observed in developed countries and which is characterized by airflow obstruction.
Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. The disease is
driven by an exaggerated inflammatory response to inhaled allergens, such as house dust mites,
pollen and animal dander. A crucial event in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma is the migration of
allergen transporting dendritic cells to the lung draining lymph nodes via lymphatic vessels. In many
diseases, lymphatic vessels are affected by inflammation; however, it is currently not known
whether this is also the case in allergic asthma. In this project we aim to study lymphatic endothelial
cells in control versus asthmatic lungs, after resolution of allergen-induced inflammation and reexposure
to allergen and this by performing single cell sequencing of sorted lymphatic endothelial
cells. This project will help identify the genes that drive lymphangiogenesis in allergen-induced
inflammation and the genes that predominate after resolution of inflammation. This knowledge will
contribute to understand the role of lymphatic endothelial cells in asthma and potentially other
pulmonary diseases.