2015 Lung Cancer Research Foundation Annual Grant Program
Saleela Ruwanpura, PhD
Hudson Institute of Medical Research
Research Project:
Interleukin-6 trans-signalling in lung cancer
Summary:
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been implicated as a causative factor in lung cancer, the most lethal cancer worldwide, albeit by unknown mechanisms. IL-6 signals via two alternate modes: “classical” signaling via its membrane-bound IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) which orchestrates local early immune responses, and “trans-signaling” via a naturally-occurring soluble IL-6R which plays a pathogenic role. Despite these observations, the role of such distinct IL-6 signaling modes in lung cancer has not been studied, largely due to the paucity of preclinical mouse models for lung inflammation and cancer that allow for genetic and/or therapeutic elucidation of disease-related IL-6 signaling modes. Dr. Ruwanpura’s project aims to address this issue by employing a highly innovative and novel combinatorial approach of mouse genetic and human translational studies to provide for the first time a definitive rationale to target specific IL-6 signaling modes (i.e. trans signaling) as a primary or secondary preventative in this lethal disease with a large unmet clinical need.