Cells present in the outer rims of small blood vessels in the lung, called pericytes, convert from a healthy state into a fibrotic one, promoting the progression of pulmonary fibrosis, new findings suggest. The discovery shows how pericytes respond to the microenvironment in the lungs, especially the mechanical changes in…
Cells Surrounding Small Blood Vessels in the Lungs May Play a Role in IPF Progression, Study Finds
Looking at pulmonary fibrosis (PF) as an age-related disease and working with a gene therapy that lengthens the life of lung cells, researchers report that they were able to lessen — and even stop — lung fibrosis in mice. “This is the first time that pulmonary fibrosis has been treated as an age-related disease, looking for rejuvenating the affected tissues,” Maria A. Blasco, study's lead author and group leader at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), in Madrid, said in a press release. The study “Therapeutic effects of telomerase in mice with pulmonary fibrosis induced by damage to the lungs and short telomeres” was published in the journal eLife.
There are a plethora of benefits for patients using online social media platforms. They help members of the community connect, and share and receive information about all aspects of the disease. Online social media platforms have a similar preface but do have differences in how and why they operate,…
Thinking back to my days of high school many years ago, I never imagined I would become involved with an online publication. I hated writing articles, papers, and essays, and I had little interest in research, chronic illness, or how words could be used to connect people so…
A pivotal Phase 3 trial evaluating PBI-4050, a potential treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, will be open to all patients with mild-to-moderate IPF regardless of whether they are also taking Ofev (nintedanib) or not, the therapy’s developer, Prometic Life Sciences, announced. The trial, in other words, will evaluate the efficacy and safety of…
Did you know that pulmonary fibrosis takes as many lives as breast cancer or prostate cancer? However, unlike breast and prostate cancer, there is no remission and treatment can only ease the symptoms. Around 40,000 people die each year from pulmonary fibrosis in the U.S. yet very few people…
A natural compound called gentiopicroside effectively lowers inflammation and tissue scarring in a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis (PF), say researchers at China’s Kunming Medical University. Since the plant-derived compound targets both fibrotic and inflammatory processes, researchers suggested it may be an ideal drug candidate for lung fibrosis — particularly…
This week marks the launch of the “7,000 Mile Rare Movement,” a nationwide effort to raise money for research into the 7,000 known rare diseases that afflict at least 30 million Americans. The campaign kicks off Feb. 1 and culminates with Rare Disease Day on Feb. 28. Organized by…
I had a scare when using oxygen last week. It’s not unusual to have my oxygen levels off target from kinks in my cords. And I’ve accidentally set the liters-per-minute dial too low. But last week was different. I was getting ready to go to a massage appointment.
For many people, using mindfulness as a means to eliminate or reduce stress is a new concept. It seems as though the importance of mindfulness is only now being promoted across health care, literature, social media and through holistic wellness advocates. There are now wellness centers attached to medical facilities, such…
