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Cell Death May Save Lives

Autor Ryan

The reduction of mucous cells will alleviate the breathing and mucous-associated problems of asthmatics and people with chronic bronchitis.

A common symptom of respiratory disease is excessive mucous production in the lungs and other airways.

Normal amounts of mucous in our respiratory system are essential, but overproduction can result in problems ranging from the mildly irritating sniffles of a cold to the life-threatening conditions of asthma and cystic fibrosis.

Excessive numbers of mucous-producing cells lead to large quantities of mucous in the airways, causing wheezing and the inability to breathe normally. Excess mucous also provides a bountiful “culture medium” for infectious bacteria and viruses.

Discovering the mechanisms that cause this overproduction is part of the ongoing work of Dr. Yohannes Tesfaigzi at the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute.

Many cells in the body have a genetically controlled program which leads them to commit suicide. This “programmed cell death” is called apoptosis, and is regulated by the activation of proteins in the cells. If this programmed cell death is disrupted, cells can continue to live and multiply.

Dr. Tesfaigzi’s research demonstrates that a protein which inhibits this cell suicide program from occurring is present in mucous cells of the lung airways. His research attempts to reduce the levels of this cell-death inhibitor and accelerate the death of the mucous cells, thereby reducing the numbers of mucous cells in airways.
This reduction of mucous cells will alleviate the breathing and mucous-associated problems of asthmatics and people with chronic bronchitis.