What is it about?
Two independent but interrelated pathological processes occur in asthma. These are inflammation and remodeling of the airways. Current medications can target inflammation but are largely ineffective against remodeling. Here we describe how autophagy can be targeted in asthma to affect chronic structural changes in the airways.
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Why is it important?
What we have found is that when one of the body’s fundamental mechanisms, known as autophagy i.e. self eating is activated in asthmatic lungs, changes take place that progress the severity of the disease. The changes are believed to “remodel” the lungs with excessive muscle mass and greater amounts of extracellular proteins such as collagen contributing to persistent breathlessness, acute asthma attacks and loss of lung function. In here we have exploited this fundamental mechanism for therapeutic gain in asthma.
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This page is a summary of: Autophagy Activation in Asthma Airways Remodeling, American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, May 2019, American Thoracic Society,
DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2018-0169oc.
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Resources
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology
American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology is one of the official American Thoracic Society Journals.
Asthma study highlights potential new treatment targets
The Australian Science Media Centre (AusSMC) is an independent, not-for-profit service for the news media, giving journalists direct access to evidence-based science and expertise.
UTS research is unlocking causes of chronic inflammation in asthma patients in the search for new treatments
UTS Newsroom.
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