In a laboratory study, scientists have identified a potential method to disrupt the continuous inflammatory process of asthma. Current asthma treatments, such as inhalers, primarily focus on managing the symptoms rather than addressing the root cause of the disease.
Researchers have potentially discovered a previously overlooked factor that contributes to asthma attacks, which could lead to the development of new treatment options. Through the examination of mice and human tissues, the scientists revealed how asthma attacks result in the destruction of cells in the lung’s airways. They found that the constriction of the airways during an asthma attack leads to overcrowding of the epithelial cells lining these passageways. Consequently, some cells are pushed out of the tissue and perish.
As a consequence, this protective barrier within the lungs becomes compromised, triggering inflammation and the secretion of mucus that obstructs the airways and impairs breathing, as indicated by the recent study published in the journal Science on April 4th.
“Without this barrier, asthma sufferers are far more likely to get long-term inflammation, wound healing, and infections that cause more attacks,” Jody Rosenblatt, co-senior study author and a professor of cell biology at King’s College London, said in a statement.
This is due in part to the absence of a barrier, allowing allergens and irritants to access areas of the lungs that may normally be protected.
During their studies, the scientists discovered methods to halt this series of events and maintain the positioning of cells within the lung tissue. This method of treatment , “may have the capacity to break the inflammatory cycle and potentially revolutionize how asthma is treated,” Dr. Jeffrey Drazen and Jeffrey Fredberg of the Harvard School of Public Health wrote in a commentary of the study.
Current treatments for asthma focus on managing symptoms rather than addressing the underlying causes of the disease. Understanding how asthma attacks occur could lead to new and more effective therapies, according to Chris Brightling, a professor at the University of Leicester.
By studying lung tissue from mice and human patients with asthma, researchers found that cell squeezing plays a key role in triggering inflammation and mucus secretion during attacks. Previous research showed that a fluid called gadolinium could prevent cell damage in the lungs, offering a potential new treatment option for asthma.
Further studies are needed to translate these findings into improved therapies for the approximately 1 in 12 Americans who have asthma. The knowledge gained from this research could also lead to new treatments for other inflammatory diseases like IBS or IBD. Researchers believe that understanding this mechanism can provide valuable insights into the pathobiology of asthma and related conditions.
