Rewiring DNA circuitry could help treat asthma

 

Reprogramming asthma-promoting immune cells in mice diminishes airway damage and inflammation, and could potentially lead to new treatments for people with asthma, researchers have found.

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Positive results in Southampton-led patient trial for new asthma treatment

Scientists from the University of Southampton and Synairgen, a respiratory drug development company spun out from the University, can announce positive data from its Phase II clinical trial, into the effectiveness of the drug SNG001 (inhaled interferon beta) for asthma patients.

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Asthma: A vaccination that works using intramuscular injection

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory and respiratory disease caused by an abnormal reactivity to allergens in the environment. Of the several avenues of exploration that are currently being developed, vaccination appears to be the most promising approach. In a publication soon to appear in the review Human Gene Therapy, the research scientists at Inserm and CNRS ( Institut du thorax, CNRS/Inserm/University of Nantes) reveal an innovatory vaccine against one of the allergens most frequently encountered in asthma patients. After vaccine was directly injected into the muscle of an asthmatic mouse, a nanovector significantly reduced both the hypersensitivity to the allergen and the associated inflammatory response.

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Scientists collaborate in discovery of new targets for the treatment of asthma

A collaboration between scientists in Trinity College Dublin and the United Kingdom has identified new processes that lead to the development of a novel cell implicated in allergies. The discovery has the potential for new strategies to treat asthma and other allergic diseases. The research findings have just been published in the leading international journal Nature Immunology.

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Scientists discover a ‘master key’ to unlock new treatments for autoimmune disorders

Bethesda, MD—Imagine a single drug that would treat most, if not all, autoimmune disorders, such as asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and Lupus. That might not be so hard to do thanks to a team of researchers who have discovered a molecule normally used by the body to prevent unnecessary immune reactions. This molecule, pronounced “alpha v beta 6,” normally keeps our immune systems from overreacting when food passes through our bodies, and it may be the key that unlocks entirely new set of treatments for autoimmune disorders. This discovery was recently published in research report appearing the Journal of Leukocyte Biology (https://www.jleukbio.org).

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Low-fat yogurt intake when pregnant may lead to child asthma and hay fever

Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Eating low-fat yoghurt whilst pregnant can increase the risk of your child developing asthma and allergic rhinitis (hay fever), according to recent findings.

The study will be presented at the European Respiratory Society’s (ERS) Annual Congress in Amsterdam on 25 September 2011. All the abstracts for the ERS Congress will be publicly available online from today (17 September 2011).

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Study sheds light on late phase of asthma attacks

New research led by scientists from Imperial College London explains why around half of people with asthma experience a ‘late phase’ of symptoms several hours after exposure to allergens. The findings, published in the journal Thorax, could lead to better treatments for the disease.

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National asthma genetics consortium releases first results

Discovers new asthma gene in African-Americans, replicates 4 others

A new national collaboration of asthma genetics researchers has revealed a novel gene associated with the disease in African-Americans, according to a new scientific report.

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New generation asthma drug could improve metabolism

Formoterol, a new generation asthma medication, shows great promise for improving fat and protein metabolism, say Australian researchers, who have tested this effect in a small sample of men. The researchers presented their results on Saturday 4 June 2011 at The Endocrine Society’s 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.

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Why does flu trigger asthma?

Study suggests new therapeutic targets for virally-induced asthma attacks

Boston, Mass. – When children with asthma get the flu, they often land in the hospital gasping for air. Researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston have found a previously unknown biological pathway explaining why influenza induces asthma attacks. Studies in a mouse model, published online May 29 by the journal Nature Immunology, reveal that influenza activates a newly recognized group of immune cells called natural helper cells – presenting a completely new set of drug targets for asthma.

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