Screening and targeting of cilia defects in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – STarCilOPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) will be the third cause of death worldwide in 2030. An irreversible alteration of lung function is the hallmark of this inflammatory pathology. COPD diagnosis is frequently delayed and current treatments are mainly symptomatic. At a cellular level, epithelial remodelling is characterized by an alteration of cilia that orchestrate numerous signalling pathways and mucociliary clearance in the airways. The STarCilOPD project aims: (1) to evaluate cilia proteic content modifications in association with functional and structural features in COPD patients; (2) to correct proteic alterations to repair epithelia proper functioning. Investigating COPD as a ciliopathy will pave the way towards innovative perspectives in patients’ clinical management including diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.