Identification of metabolites mediating wound healing in bladder epithelium

Overview

Chronic disorders of the bladder are common and age-related, encompassing both cancer (7th commonest and most expensive to treat) and benign dysfunctional disorders (stress urinary incontinence, overactive bladder and painful bladder syndromes). This project aims to identify, using state-of-the-art chemical analysis approaches, the signalling molecules that are believed to be released from the cells of the bladder lining when damaged and which, it is predicted, are important in regulating both normal bladder function and repair. This new understanding is important for developing new therapies to resolve dysfunctional disorders and repair diseased or damaged bladders.

The project was successful in developing an LC-MS method for detection of ATP from cultured urothelium, and in demonstrating the release of ATP on wounding. These results have been worked on and followed up by two PhD students, a Post-Doctoral Reasearch Associate and most recently by a Wellcome CIDCATs programme placement student. The C2D2-funded work has enabled the opening up of a new area of research and has led to, amongst other outcomes, a new collaboration with a group in Japan that offers very exciting prospects of developing approaches to work at the single cell level.