Asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, affects around 300 million people worldwide. Although most of the sufferers respond well to the existing treatments, there is a small percentage of cases that are difficult to treat.
New research, coming from the Cardiff University in collaboration with other renowned international institutions, provides new insights into the cause of asthma, and offers hope of a novel treatment. The findings are exciting not only for asthma patients, but also for those with other chronic respiratory conditions that have no cure yet, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic bronchitis.
The Role of Protein Molecules in Asthma
The new study, published on the 22nd April 2015 in the peer-reviewed journal Science Translational Medicine, established the pivotal role of the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) in the development of an asthmatic reaction, which is characterized by breathing difficulties.
When comparing asthmatic and non-asthmatic lung tissue, the researchers discovered that increased numbers of CaSRs were present in the unhealthy tissue and that contributed to the inflammation.
CaSRs are protein molecules and this is the first time they have been linked to the cause of asthma. One of the co-authors of the study, Professor Paul Kemp, explains that by identifying CaSRs in the lung tissue, they have uncovered a possibility for also treating some inflammatory diseases of the lungs which have thus far been considered incurable.
A Drug Already Exists
The good news is that the drug which could block CaSRs already exists; it just needs to be tested and modified for inflammatory lung disease. Some predict this could take up to 5 years.
About 15 years ago, a specific treatment for osteoporosis was developed, which targeted CaSRs with the aim of strengthening the bones. The drug is called calcityrol and is one of the calcilytic drugs. Although it was safe to use, the drug didn’t prove to be very efficient in treating osteoporosis (read my other post for information about the 4 steps to prevent osteoporosis).
However, when used on mice with asthma and on asthmatic human lung tissue, calcityrol reduced the lung inflammation, which made the scientists very excited about the potential use on humans. They argue that calcilytic drugs could reduce the number of CaSRs and make them less responsive.
What does this Mean for Asthma Patients?
Although researchers seem very optimistic, the process of developing and marketing a new drug might take a while.
Also, there is no proof yet that calcilytics could indeed ‘cure’ asthma. Researches haven’t even shown yet that the drug can successfully block the receptors or how long the effect would last.
Further research is required. Researchers will first try to develop and modify the drug, so it can be used as an inhaler and reach the lungs in an active form to have a maximum effect.
Moreover, a safe and clinically meaningful dose for asthma (and possibly other) patients needs to be established and a lot of trials will need to be completed before it is tested on humans.
So, although promising and exciting, it is still early days to celebrate the victory over asthma and other inflammatory respiratory conditions.
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