Good news for emphysema sufferers: Scientists say they've found a way to slow the progression of the disease, which is the leading cause of death in the US, the New York Times reports.
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the University of Cincinnati, Ohio State University, and the National Institutes of Health used a novel antibody to block the activity of CELA1, a type of elastase.
CELA1 is similar to the KF4 antibody that's currently used to treat blood clots.
"When CELA1 is introduced to adult lung specimens under physical stretch, it actively bonds to the lung tissue," researcher Brian Varisco says in a press release.
"This bonding enhances the remodeling of elastase activity....
We were able to duplicate these protective effects in studies involving three types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease."
Researchers found that using CELA1 to block the activity of CELA1 slowed the progression of COPD, asthma, and chronic bronchitis in mice, the Times reports.
"This novel technology represents a promising development in the field of pulmonary medicine," says a researcher at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, which is working with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
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