BJP: Scientists discover potential treatments for fatal lung disease

Recently, researchers from the University of Georgia in the United States found that the anti-tumor drug triciribine can delay or reverse the progression of pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension, both of which are almost fatal. The relevant research results were published in the international academic journal British Journal of Pharmacology .

When lung fibroblasts are chemically or physically damaged, collagen is secreted to repair the interstitial tissue of the lungs, which in turn causes pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary hypertension refers to a hemodynamic and pathophysiological state in which pulmonary artery pressure rises above a certain critical value, and the disability rate and mortality are very high.

In the study, the researchers used a mouse model to mimic human pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension, and studied the effects of tresibine on both diseases. Previous studies have shown that triflurebin can inhibit a type called akt1 Production of proteins. Akt1 has a partial effect on the development of myofibroblasts, which can migrate to the site of tissue damage to help the tissue repair the damage. However, the dysregulation of these cells can cause scarring, leading to loss of pulmonary fibrosis and functional vascular system.

The researchers waited until the mice began to develop a disease phenotype, followed by a daily injection of trichostin for three weeks, and the results showed that the lung scarring characteristics and lung vasculature loss were alleviated in each mouse, and Some mice's lungs began to return to normal.

The researchers further used mice lacking the akt1 pathway and found that the knockout mice did not have pathological features of pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension, further validating their hypothesis and demonstrating that akt1 is an important factor in the occurrence of these two diseases.

Finally, the researchers said the study was only a preliminary result and more research is needed to assess whether trizalibine has a similar effect on patients with pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension.