Examining the effects of mGluR7 during acute lung injury 3130

Abstract Description Metabotropic glutamate receptor 7 (mGluR7) is a presynaptic inhibitory neuronal receptor found throughout the nervous system, and previous reports show that mGluR7 communicates with the immune system to regulate systemic responses. Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by a compromised alveolar–capillary membrane and increased neutrophil migration. However, the role of mGluR7 in regulating ALI remains unknown. To explore this, I evaluated neutrophil influx and lung injury of wild type (WT) and mGluR7 knock-out (KO) mice using an established mouse model of LPS-induced ALI. Here, intranasal inoculation of LPS resulted in a 10-fold increase of neutrophils within the lungs of both groups. Further, mGluR7 KO mice showed a trend of a twofold increase in average neutrophil infiltration in the lungs after LPS challenge compared to WT mice. To determine the severity of lung injury, the total protein levels from bronchioalveolar lavage fluid was examined by a Pierce BCA protein assay. Twenty-four hours post-LPS inoculation, mGluR7 KO mice exhibited a twofold increase in protein levels compared to WT mice. Together, this data suggests mGluR7 KO mice may have enhanced neutrophil recruitment to the airways and experience worse lung injury in response to LPS. These initial findings provide promising evidence in mGluR7 playing a role in acute lung injury, paving the way for further investigations into our understanding of neuro-immune communication within the lung. Funding Sources Supported by the Immunology Graduate Program at Michigan Medicine; Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center at University of Michigan Topic Categories Mucosal and Regional Immunology (MUC)