An air of optimism over asthma ‘cure’ efforts
Separate breakthroughs by teams in Glasgow and Edinburgh show potential to treat lung conditions
ASTHMA blights the lives of around 7% of the population, with 278,000 Scots each year consulting a GP or nurse to treat the condition. However, the trailblazing efforts of scientists in Glasgow and Edinburgh may now lead to a breakthrough in treatment – and possibly a reversal of its effects.
Academics at Glasgow University recently identified a new class of drugs that rolled back the symptoms of asthma in animals in laboratory studies. The researchers then applied these drugs to human lungs, with the experiment showing similar positive effects.
The results have now led to genuine optimism for the rapid development of new medicines for asthma and similar inflammatory lung diseases, with the team in Glasgow hoping the publication of its findings in the medical publication Science Translational Medicine will lead to other teams around the world advancing their efforts.
However, the researchers may not have to look so far for such kindred spirits – for in a coincidental breakthrough, recent studies at the MRC Centre for Inflammation Research at the University of Edinburgh have found another possible new asthma treatment – using parasitic worms that live in human intestines. A protein molecule they emit was found to halt allergic reactions in the host.
Asthma attacks, which kill three people in the UK each day, are often triggered by allergies such as pollen, pets and house dust mites. The Edinburgh researchers believe this allergic reaction could be dampened by the special protein released by the worms, called HpARI, that can reduce and possibly even prevent allergic responses. It could also stop airways from becoming inflamed and prevent potentially life-threatening asthma attacks
It is well known that people who live in countries where parasitic worms are common are less likely to have asthma, such as southeast Asia, less than one in 20 people are known to suffer from it.
Dr Henry McSorley, who led the research along with Professor Rick Maizels, said: “We have known for some years that infections with parasitic worms appear to protect people against asthma.
“This has led to the proposal that deliberate self-infection with parasites could help asthma. However, this can be uncomfortable and impractical, as well as potentially causing other health issues.
“We have always believed that a better technique would be to identify how parasites prevent asthma, so that new parasite-inspired treatments can be developed.
“With new genomic information available, along with new techniques for the production of parasite molecules in the lab, we can finally test individual parasite products, with potential for direct development into novel medicines to combat asthma.”
The Glasgow University breakthrough, however, highlights another way of tackling the condition without the use of parasitic worms – although the process of using a protein that occurs naturally in the human body is similar.
This protein, called free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFA4), is found in the gut and pancreas where it is activated by dietary fats including the fish oil omega 3 and is known to help control levels of glucose in our blood.
Surprisingly, the Glasgow team found FFA4 is also present in human lungs and discovered it allows the muscle surrounding the airways to relax – letting more air to enter the lungs.
The research team also found that FFA4 reduced inflammation in mice exposed to pollution, cigarette smoke and allergens like house dust mites that cause asthma.
Andrew Tobin, professor of molecular pharmacology at the University of Glasgow, said: “It was indeed a surprise to find that by targeting a protein that up to now has been thought of as being activated by fish oils in our diet we were able to relax airway muscle and prevent inflammation.
“We are optimistic that we can extend our findings and develop a new drug treatment of asthma and COPD.”
Professor Graeme Milligan, Gardiner chair of biochemistry at the University of Glasgow, added: “We were delighted to see the effectiveness of this class of drugs in relieving the symptoms caused not only by agents that result in asthma but also by pollutants and cigarette smoke.”
Dr Samantha Walker, director of research and innovation at Asthma UK, said: “This is exciting early research that could pave the way for the development of new treatments for asthma.
“It is becoming clear that there are many different types of asthma and that not all of them respond to current treatment, which is why research like this is so important.”
We were delighted to see the effectiveness of this class of drugs in relieving the symptoms caused not only by agents that result in asthma but also by pollutants