New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Science News
from research organizations

New molecule to treat asthma found

Date:
May 12, 2014
Source:
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
Summary:
A novel molecule that prevents the symptoms associated with allergen-induced asthma has been discovered by researchers. The study, performed in mouse models for asthma research, showed that the synthetic sulfate monosaccharide blocks the interaction between chemokine CCL20 -- a T-cell signaling protein -- and heparin sulfate, a molecule that protects and immobilizes CCL20 on epithelial cells in the lung. Blocking this interaction stalled the recruitment of the T-cells that trigger inflammation. The favorable results were achieved when the novel molecule was administered intravenously as well as by inhalation.
Share:
FULL STORY

A new study carried out by researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham), the Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces (Germany), the Free University of Berlin (Germany), UC San Diego, and Shinshu University (Japan) has identified a novel molecule that prevents T-cells from orchestrating asthma brought on by allergens. The findings, published on May 12 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), show promise for a new potent therapeutic agent to treat asthma, a chronic disease affecting more than 25 million Americans.

"We have identified a synthetic molecule, a sulfate monosaccharide, that inhibits the signal that recruits T-cells to the lungs to start an asthma attack," said Minoru Fukuda, Ph.D., adjunct professor in the Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program at Sanford-Burnham. "The molecule substantially lessened asthma symptoms such as inflammation, mucus production, and airway constriction."

The study, performed in mouse models for asthma research, showed that the synthetic sulfate monosaccharide blocks the interaction between chemokine CCL20 -- a T-cell signaling protein -- and heparin sulfate, a molecule that protects and immobilizes CCL20 on epithelial cells in the lung. Blocking this interaction stalled the recruitment of the T-cells that trigger inflammation. The favorable results were achieved when the novel molecule was administered intravenously as well as by inhalation.

Although billions of dollars are spent every year on asthma medication, asthma still accounts for one quarter of all emergency room visits in the U.S. each year (~1.75 million ER visits). And, asthma is on the rise. Since 1980, asthma death rates overall have increased more than 50 percent among all genders, age groups, and ethnic groups. The death rate for children under 19 years old has increased by nearly 80 percent since 1980.

"There is currently no cure for asthma, and asthma control remains elusive for many patients, so there is still a need for research to find new therapies," says Mike Tringale, senior vice president at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a national asthma patient organization that has declared May National Asthma Awareness Month.

"Pulmonary inhalation of this new molecule may help reduce asthma symptoms by suppressing chemokine-mediated inflammatory responses," said Fukuda. We look forward to the further development of the molecule to treat the millions of people who suffer from this chronic disease."


Story Source:

Materials provided by Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. Original written by Susan Gammon, Ph.D.. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Cite This Page:

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. "New molecule to treat asthma found." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 May 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140512154856.htm>.
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. (2014, May 12). New molecule to treat asthma found. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140512154856.htm
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. "New molecule to treat asthma found." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140512154856.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

Explore More

from ScienceDaily

RELATED STORIES