healthy lungs Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Four Advances That Could Change Tuberculosis Treatment

The AHA! Team — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 05:47:50 +0000

American Chemical Society via EurekAlert! – As of early 2025, tuberculosis cases are increasing in the U.S. As of early 2025, tuberculosis cases are increasing in the U.S. This disease, often shortened to TB, causes significant lung damage and, if not treated, is almost always lethal. World TB Day on March 24 raises awareness about the disease and commemorates Robert Koch’s discovery of the source bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. More than a century later, scientists continue refining TB diagnosis methods and treatment strategies, some of which are in these four ACS journal articles. Reporters can request free access to these papers by emailing newsroom@acs.org. 1. Fluorescence for a faster TB diagnosis. Currently, testing saliva samples for M. tuberculosis is time-consuming because of the bacterium’s slow growth and resistance to stains used in imaging. To develop a faster method, researchers targeted a protein that the bacterium uses to steal iron ions from its host’s cells. In a study published in ACS Central Science, the team explains how to label the iron-transporter protein with a fluorescent tag, which turns on after releasing the iron inside the M. tuberculosis cells. In separate tests on saliva from 11 people diagnosed with TB, the fluorescence technique identified infectious levels of the bacterium within 10 minutes. 2. White blood cell-focused M. tuberculosis therapy. A type of white blood cell called a macrophage gets taken over during a tuberculosis infection, becoming an incubator for the pathogen. So, researchers report in ACS Infectious Diseases that they have developed sugar-coated nanoparticles that get absorbed by infected macrophages. And once inside, the nanoparticles interrupted critical cellular pathways and prompted the damaged cells to be recycled. In infected mice, 6 weeks of nanoparticle treatment significantly reduced the amount of M. tuberculosis in the lungs. 3. A potential nasal treatment for tuberculous meningitis. If M. tuberculosis reaches cerebrospinal fluid, the result can be tuberculous meningitis — a life-threatening inflammation around a person’s brain and spinal cord. To get the TB drug clofazimine across the blood-brain barrier, researchers have encapsulated it inside tiny particles and created a nasal spray. According to their study in ACS infectious Diseases, the spray didn’t adversely affect mice with tuberculous meningitis. A 4-week treatment significantly reduced the bacterial burden within the animals’ brains and lungs compared to untreated mice. 4. Light-activated particles inactivate bacteria. Many new TB cases are multidrug resistant. So, a research team wanted to improve treatment efficacy and reduce the risk of further antimicrobial resistance by creating a photoreactive therapy. They encapsulated light-activated particles inside nanometer-wide spheres. When the nanospheres were injected into mice, red laser light triggered the particles to produce reactive oxygen species that inactivated Mycobacterium marinum, a bacterium that causes TB-like illness in fish. The initial animal study results are published in ACS Omega. Additionally in March 2025, ACS Webinars and ACS Publications co-hosted a virtual event, “Disrupt & Destroy: Starving Tuberculosis with Smarter Science,” about innovative drug strategies and cutting-edge TB research. The webinar is available to watch on demand. ### Journal ACS Central Science To read the original article click here.

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UCLA-Led Study Unveils New Insights and Potential Treatments for Pulmonary Hypertension

The AHA! Team — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 17:48:21 +0000

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences via Newswise – A new study from researchers with UCLA Health and collaborating organizations has found that asporin, a protein encoded by the ASPN gene, plays a protective role in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Their findings, which were published on August 21 in the peer-reviewed journal Circulation, offer new insights into this incurable, often-fatal disease and suggest potential new ways to treat it. “We were surprised to find that asporin, which previously had not been linked to PAH, gets upregulated to increased levels as a response to counteract this disease process,” said Dr. Jason Hong, a pulmonary and critical care physician at UCLA Health and the study’s corresponding author. “This novel finding opens up new avenues for understanding PAH pathobiology and developing potential therapies.” Pulmonary hypertension is a serious medical condition characterized by high blood pressure in the arteries that supply the lungs. It causes these arteries to narrow or become blocked, which, in turn, slows blood flow to the heart, requiring it to work harder to pump blood through the lungs. Eventually, the heart muscle becomes weak and begins to fail. Need for New Therapies According to recent estimates, PAH affects about 1% of the global population, but that number climbs to 10% in people who are 65 or older. There’s no cure for the disease, but medications and lifestyle changes can help slow progression, manage symptoms and prolong life. The urgent need for new therapies, combined with the potential of multiomics – an integrated approach to drive discovery across multiple levels of biology – inspired Hong and research colleagues, including co-first author Lejla Medzikovic and senior author Mansoureh Eghbali to take a deep dive into the disease. Both work at UCLA’s Eghbali Laboratory. Methodology For the study, the researchers applied novel computational methods, including transcriptomic profiling and deep phenotyping, to lung samples of 96 PAH patients and 52 control subjects without the condition from the largest multicenter PAH lung biobank available to-date. They integrated this data with clinical information, genome-wide association studies, graphic models of probabilities and multiomics analysis. “”Our detailed analysis found higher levels of asporin in the lungs and plasma of PAH patients, which were linked to less severe disease,” Hong said. Additionally, Medzikovic noted that their cell and living-organism experiments found that asporin inhibited pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation and a key signaling pathway that occurs with PAH. “We also demonstrated that recombinant asporin treatment reduced PAH severity in preclinical models,” said Medzikovic. Next Steps Hong and colleagues plan to further investigate the mechanisms by which asporin exerts its protective effects in PAH and explore potential therapeutic applications, focusing on how to translate their findings into clinical trials. “Asporin represents a promising new target for therapeutic intervention in pulmonary arterial hypertension,” he explained. “Enhancing asporin levels in PAH patients could potentially lead to improved clinical outcomes and reduced disease progression.” Authors: Jason Hong, MD, PhD,* Lejla Medzikovic, PhD*, Wasila Sun, BS‡, Brenda Wong, BA‡, Gregoire Ruffenach, PhD, Christopher J. Rhodes, PhD, Adam Brownstein, MD, Lloyd L. Liang, MS, Laila Aryan, PhD, Min Li, PhD, Arjun Vadgama, Zeyneb Kurt, PhD, Tae-Hwi Schwantes- An, PhD, Elizabeth A. Mickler, MS, Stefan Graf, PhD, Melanie Eyries, PhD, Katie A. Lutz, BS, Michael W. Pauciulo, MBA, Richard C. Trembath, MD, Frederic Perros, PhD, David Montani, MD, PhD, Nicholas W. Morrell, MD, Florent Soubrier, MD, PhD, Martin R. Wilkins, MD, William C. Nichols, PhD, Micheala A. Aldred, PhD, Ankit A. Desai, MD, David-Alexandre Tregouet, PhD, Soban Umar, MD, PhD, Rajan Saggar, MD, Richard Channick, MD, Rubin M. Tuder, MD, Mark W. Geraci, MD, Robert S. Stearman, PhD†, Xia Yang, PhD†, and senior author, Mansoureh Eghbali, PhD†. Legend: *Joint first authors; ‡ Joint second authors; †Joint last authors Funding: This work was supported by American Heart Association grant 23POST1022457 (L.M.), American Thoracic Society Early Career Investigator Award in Pulmonary Vascular Disease (J.H.), and U.S. NIH grants K08HL169982 (J.H.), R01HL147586 (M.E.), R01HL162124 (M.E.), R01HL159865 (M.E.), R01HL147883 (X.Y.), R24HL105333 (W.N. and M.P.), R01HL160941 (W.N., A.D., and M.P.), British Heart Foundation Senior Basic Science Fellowship FS/SBSRF/21/31025 (C.R.), and funding for the PHBI is provided by NHLBI R24HL123767 and by the Cardiovascular Medical Research and Education Fund (MAA). Disclosures: Drs. Medzikovic, Hong, and Eghbali are coinventors of US provisional patent application No. 63/544,027, “Asporin in Pulmonary Hypertension.” To read the original article click here.

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5 Ways a Healthy Weight Supports Immune Function. Achieve Yours

AHA Publisher — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 08:00:23 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – If you’re overweight, you can make a significant difference in your immune function, starting today! By working towards a healthy weight, you can improve the health of your body systems that spur immune health. While this is easier said than done, even prudent changes in weight can make a huge difference. In fact, a healthy weight supports immune function by supporting heart function, hormones, digestion, and more. Notably, there is a direct and measurable improvement in immune function outcomes and the incidence of sickness during and after healthy weight changes. It will take work and dedication to improve your weight. We are here to help and have a plan that will guide you towards a healthy weight and lifestyle. Are you ready to support your immune function with a healthier weight? UNHEALTHY WEIGHT AND INCIDENCE OF SICKNESS During the past few decades, experts have come to understand that being at an unhealthy weight, directly and indirectly, increases the risk of seasonal sickness and poor immune function. In fact, they believe that being overweight can cause a chronic state of inflammation that harms immune function. This can result in a blunted immune response to harmful invaders and microbes, poor recovery, and even a decreased response with medications (1). As the number of overweight individuals continues to increase in the population, health experts are bracing for more and more community sickness. But, there’s good news. Even just a small change in weight or a loss of about 5-10% can make a big difference in immune function. And, the more an individual moves towards a healthy weight, the better the results become. Here are 5 ways a healthy weight supports immune function. 5 WAYS A HEALTHY WEIGHT SUPPORTS IMMUNE FUNCTION 1. HEALTHIER GUT BACTERIA AND REDUCED INFLAMMATION Did you know that gut microbiota (bacteria) is altered in an overweight or obese individual compared to one at a healthy weight? It’s true. It’s in an unhealthy state. This unhealthy state has big implications for immune function and overall health. Human gut bacteria plays many roles, and an immune function is highly dependent on it. What’s not so clear is whether being obese causes healthy bacteria to change and become unhealthy, or whether the altered gut bacteria contribute to obesity. Experts believe the answer is a bit of both. There are several mechanisms linking the gut microbiota with obesity, altered insulin reactions, inflammation, metabolic issues, failing liver function, and more. The unhealthy gut bacteria may actually contribute to an altered hormone state that perpetuates fat gain (2). More fat gain further deteriorates healthy gut bacteria. This unhealthy cycle continues and reaps havoc on immune function. So, how does a healthy weight affect the gut and immune system? As an individual works towards and achieves a healthy weight, there are significant changes in gut microbial composition. These changes continue to spur advances toward a healthy weight. This is true for both diet-induced weight changes and bariatric surgery (3). Adding healthy bacteria to the diet during the effort can further support digestion and immune function. 2. NORMALIZED BLOOD SUGARS WITH A HEALTHY WEIGHT Did you know the presence of high blood sugars increases the incidence of sickness and infection? Thankfully, a healthy weight can normalize blood sugars. In fact, when blood sugars are high, sickness can induce a stress reaction which may lead to the secretion of hyperglycemic hormones, abnormal glucose variability, and health complications. What’s more, infections increase blood sugar levels which perpetuates the problem. The opposite is true when an individual works towards a healthy weight. In one study, researchers reported that improvements in weight were strongly associated with improvements in blood sugars, blood pressure, triglyceride levels, and HDL cholesterol. They stated that a modest weight loss of just 5-10% was enough to improve health (4). 3. HEALTHY WEIGHT MEANS A HEALTHIER HEART Another organ vital to overall health and immune function is the heart. Unfortunately, obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular illnesses. Why? Being overweight stresses the heart, and this can lead to increased inflammation, elevated blood pressure, and changes in heart structure. What’s more, pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by adipose tissue can induce cardiac dysfunction (5). On the other hand, most illnesses can hurt the heart, and harmful microbes can promote the development of cardiovascular disorders and injury. An unhealthy or weak heart diminishes immune strength (6). Achieving a healthy weight supports immune function and heart health! 4. A HEALTHY WEIGHT PROMOTES A HEALTHIER LIVER The liver is extremely important to immune function and the detoxification of the human body. Unfortunately, an unhealthy weight can impair liver function. If you’re worried about your weight, liver, and immune system, there’s good news. A recent study found that a 5% decrease in BMI (body mass index) in overweight participants resulted in a decrease in liver fat and liver volume. They saw improvements in liver health with this weight decrease (7). As you achieve a healthy weight, you can support liver and immune function! 5. HEALTHY LUNGS Many people don’t think of the lungs when they think of immune health. However, they are vital. Healthy alveoli (tissues at the ends of bronchi in the lungs) are responsible for gaseous exchange in and out of the lungs and blood supply. They also work as an emergency exit for toxins. When your lungs are healthy, they support immune function by helping rid the body of toxic substances, microbes, and byproducts. However, being overweight can impair lung function. It causes substantial changes to the mechanics of the lungs and chest wall. This can result in asthma-like symptoms and inflammation in the lungs. Positive changes in BMI can help! In fact, several studies have found that improved weights result in increases in lung volumes and overall lung health (8). In addition to a healthy weight, it’s vitally important for lung health to abstain from smoking. HOW TO WORK TOWARDS A HEALTHY WEIGHT STARTING TODAY If you are interested in supporting your immune system and overall health by achieving a healthy weight, we have plans for you! In fact, you can start with Dr. Colbert’s 21 Day Detox and Fast. It’s free and will help you improve the health of every system mentioned here. Then, you can make real lifestyle changes and achieve a healthy weight with Keto Zone. Start by joining our FREE Keto Zone 21-Day-Challenge. Next, keep going with the Keto Zone Starter Kitincluding Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet Book. BOTTOM LINE You can support your immune system, but it takes working towards a healthy weight. Work towards your goals, and let us help with proven programs for health, immunity, and lifestyle change! You can start for free today! To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Colbert click here.

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Mysterious Vaping Illness Characterized by Fat-Laden Cells in the Lung

The AHA! Team — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 07:00:00 +0000

University of Utah via EurekAlert (Salt Lake City) – Lung scans from patients with vaping illness look like a serious viral or bacterial pneumonia, but those tests come back negative. Instead, diagnosis has been based on exclusion of known causes of similar respiratory illnesses combined with knowing the patient has a history of vaping. Doctors have identified a previously unrecognized characteristic of the vaping-related respiratory illness that has been emerging in clusters across the U.S. in recent months. Within the lungs of these patients are large immune cells containing numerous oily droplets, called lipid-laden macrophages. (Lipid-laden macrophages found in patients with vaping-related respiratory illness. Oily lipids are stained in red. Photo via Andrew Hansen, MD, Jordan Valley Medical Center). The finding may allow doctors to definitively diagnose the nascent syndrome more quickly and provide the right treatment sooner. It could also provide clues into the causes of the new and mysterious condition. Investigators at University of Utah Health reported the findings in a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Sept. 6. “While it is too soon to be sure, these lipid-laden macrophages may turn out to be useful to confirm or rule out this disease,” said the study’s senior author Scott Aberegg, M.D., a critical care pulmonologist at U of U Health. “They may also be helpful in understanding what is causing this illness,” Aberegg added. Watch a video of physicians and patients talking about their experiences with the vaping illness here. Lung scans from patients with vaping illness look like a serious viral or bacterial pneumonia, but those tests come back negative. Instead, diagnosis has been based on exclusion of known causes of similar respiratory illnesses combined with knowing the patient has a history of vaping. U of U Health investigators identified the lipid-laden macrophages in six out of six cases seen at University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City by the time of submitting the results for publication. The cells were found in samples after performing a procedure called bronchoalveolar lavage where fluid is squirted into a small section of the lungs and then collected for examination. Macrophages are a type of cell from the immune system that gather at sites of infection and perform the role of cleaning up debris. Staining them with a dye called Oil-red-O highlighted the oily droplets littered throughout these cells. Distinctive cells “These cells are very distinctive, and we don’t often see them. That made everybody start to think carefully about why they were there. Are they scavenging debris in the lungs that was introduced through vaping?” Aberegg said. Doctors at the U had the test performed on the first vaping patient treated at U of U Health in July 2019, after the referring doctor had suggested the patient could have lipoid pneumonia. The condition is diagnosed by screening for lipid-laden macrophages. After finding the marker in this patient, doctors performed the same test in subsequent patients suspected to have the vaping illness, and all were positive. Since submitting their findings for publication, the number of vaping illness cases with lipid-laden macrophages has risen to ten of ten patients examined, with new cases arriving weekly. The question remains as to whether the vaping respiratory illness is a type of lipoid pneumonia. Despite similarities, there are also differences. Unlike the vaping illness, classic lipoid pneumonia is typically seen in older individuals, typically caused by accidentally breathing in oil-based laxatives. Classic lipoid pneumonia also presents differently on x-rays of the lungs. Additional testing will need to be done to determine whether the vaping illness can be categorized as a new kind of lipoid pneumonia. “We need to determine if these cells are specific for the illness or whether they are also seen in vaping patients who are not ill and don’t have symptoms. If they are only seen in patients who get sick, we can begin to make some connections between what we’re seeing in the lipid laden macrophages and whatever components of the vaping oils may be causing this syndrome” Aberegg said. To read the original article click here.

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