Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

Rosavin, an active compound found in the plant Rhodiola rosea, commonly known as golden root or Aaron’s rod, can prevent pulmonary fibrosis (PF) manifestations in mice, a study has found. This discovery, published in the journal Biomedicine & Pharmocotherapy, suggests that rosavin may be a promising candidate…

Exposure to cigarette smoking and lipopolysaccharides, components of the cell wall of certain bacteria, can lead to more severe lung fibrosis, a mouse study shows. The study, “Cigarette smoke exposure combined with lipopolysaccharides induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice,” was published in the journal Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology.

Proliferation and inflammation of human lung fibroblasts is controlled by small RNA molecules called long non-coding RNAs, a study reports. The study, “Long intergenic non-coding RNAs regulate human lung fibroblast function: Implications for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,” was published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports. While the cause of…

Rare variants in genes that regulate the end regions of chromosomes — called telomeres — are linked with worse survival rates after lung transplant in pulmonary fibrosis (PF) patients, a study suggests. The study, “Lung Transplant Outcomes in Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients with Telomere-Related Gene Variants” was published in the…

High levels of the protein vimentin in the lung tissue of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) contribute to disease progression, an early study’s results show. Inhibiting vimentin can prevent fibroblasts — the cells responsible for the production and buildup of scar tissue (fibrosis) — from invading the lungs and producing…

Although patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who take Ofev (nintedanib) or Esbriet (pirfenidone) have similar clinical outcomes, adherence to treatment is higher among those who have secondary insurance coverage, especially from charitable organizations, a study finds. The study, “Retrospective Analysis of Medication Utilization and Clinical Outcomes in…

A post-hoc analysis of the Phase 3 RECAP trial shows that long-term treatment with Esbriet (pirfenidone) is safe and similarly effective in patients with advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as in those with less advanced disease. The study, “Effect of pirfenidone in patients with more advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,”…

High levels of PD-L1 protein were found in the most aggressive fibroblasts that drive idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) progression, making the protein — whose levels are increased in cancer cells to shield a tumor from the immune system — a potential new therapeutic target, a study suggests. The study, “…

Ofev (nintedanib) may exert its therapeutic benefits by halting the activity of genes that promote proliferation of fibroblasts in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a next-generation sequencing study suggests. The study “Gene Expression Changes Associated with Nintedanib Treatment in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Fibroblasts: A Next-Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics…

A protein in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha family, called TRAIL, regulates a signaling cascade that promotes pulmonary fibrosis, researchers report, suggesting this protein opens potential new avenues for treating PF. The study, “TRAIL signals through the ubiquitin ligase MID1 to promote pulmonary fibrosis,” was published in the…