Allergic asthma is an incredibly common and widely researched disease, with over 339 million people affected worldwide. Asthma is characterized by the presence of airway remodeling, such as increased smooth muscle accumulation around the airways, collagen accumulation within the airway wall, excess mucus production and epithelial shedding as well as angiogenesis. These structural changes cause the airway wall to thicken and narrow; consequently, airflow is decreased, and lung function is impaired.
This results in the characteristic symptoms seen in asthmatics, including episodes of wheezing and dyspnea.
Current treatments for asthma involve either symptom relief using bronchodilators or anti-inflammatory corticosteroids. Despite the effectiveness of these therapies, studies have identified that more than half of patients with the disease have uncontrolled asthma.
A possible way to tackle one of the underlying causes of asthma has been developed by researchers from Aston University and Imperial College London. In tests in mice, the researchers were able to virtually eliminate asthmatic symptoms within two weeks and return their airways to near normal.
Briefly, their research focused on a type of stem cell known as a pericyte, which is mainly found in the lining of blood vessels. When asthmatics have an allergic and inflammatory reaction, for example to house dust mites, this causes the pericytes to move to the airway walls. Once there, the pericytes develop into muscle cells and other cells that make the airway thicker and less flexible.
This movement of the pericytes is triggered by a protein known as CXCL12. The researchers used a molecule called LIT-927 to block the signal from this protein, by introducing it into the mice's nasal passages. Asthmatic mice that were treated with LIT-927 had a reduction in symptoms within one week and their symptoms virtually disappeared within two weeks. The researchers also found that the airway walls in mice treated with LIT-927 were much thinner than those in untreated mice, closer to those of healthy controls.
"By targeting the changes in the airway directly, we hope this approach could eventually offer a more permanent and effective treatment than those already available, particularly for severe asthmatics who don't respond to steroids. However, our work is still at an early stage and further research is needed before we can begin to test this in people."
- Dr Jill Johnson, Lead Researcher, Aston University's School of Biosciences.
These results provide new insight into the role of the CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis in promoting pulmonary pericyte accumulation and airway remodeling and validate a novel target to address tissue remodeling associated with chronic inflammation.
There'a long way to go and team has applied for more funding to continue and develop into a stage where human testing could begin.
This results in the characteristic symptoms seen in asthmatics, including episodes of wheezing and dyspnea.
Current treatments for asthma involve either symptom relief using bronchodilators or anti-inflammatory corticosteroids. Despite the effectiveness of these therapies, studies have identified that more than half of patients with the disease have uncontrolled asthma.
A possible way to tackle one of the underlying causes of asthma has been developed by researchers from Aston University and Imperial College London. In tests in mice, the researchers were able to virtually eliminate asthmatic symptoms within two weeks and return their airways to near normal.
Briefly, their research focused on a type of stem cell known as a pericyte, which is mainly found in the lining of blood vessels. When asthmatics have an allergic and inflammatory reaction, for example to house dust mites, this causes the pericytes to move to the airway walls. Once there, the pericytes develop into muscle cells and other cells that make the airway thicker and less flexible.
This movement of the pericytes is triggered by a protein known as CXCL12. The researchers used a molecule called LIT-927 to block the signal from this protein, by introducing it into the mice's nasal passages. Asthmatic mice that were treated with LIT-927 had a reduction in symptoms within one week and their symptoms virtually disappeared within two weeks. The researchers also found that the airway walls in mice treated with LIT-927 were much thinner than those in untreated mice, closer to those of healthy controls.
"By targeting the changes in the airway directly, we hope this approach could eventually offer a more permanent and effective treatment than those already available, particularly for severe asthmatics who don't respond to steroids. However, our work is still at an early stage and further research is needed before we can begin to test this in people."
- Dr Jill Johnson, Lead Researcher, Aston University's School of Biosciences.
These results provide new insight into the role of the CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis in promoting pulmonary pericyte accumulation and airway remodeling and validate a novel target to address tissue remodeling associated with chronic inflammation.
There'a long way to go and team has applied for more funding to continue and develop into a stage where human testing could begin.
