First pill to treat asthma is one step closer – thanks to a tropical parasitic WORM
Protein secreted by the hookworm, which is a common cause of gut infections, revealed to relieve symptoms in mice
THE world's first asthma pill could be on the horizon thanks to a tropical parasite that lives in the gut.
Experiments found a protein secreted by the hookworm, which is a common cause of gut infections, relieves symptoms of the respiratory illness.
Following the discovery in mice, tests on humans indicate it is also a promising candidate for tackling allergies in people.
Now scientists are hopeful the protein could be turned into the first pill to treat asthma.
Their discovery follows clinical trials showing hookworm infection protects against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Dr Severine Navarro, of James Cook University in Cairns, Australia, said: "After our initial success with IBD, asthma was our next logical goal.
"Although IBD and asthma are very different conditions, what they have in common is a defect in the regulation of the immune system which results in overwhelming inflammatory processes.
"To survive and remain undetected in the human gut, parasitic worms regulate their human host's immune response.
"We aim to use that to control the inappropriate inflammation that characterises autoimmune diseases and allergy."
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The study published in Science Translational Medicine tested a form of the protein on both mice and human cells.
Mice treated with the worm protein showed an extensive suppression of inflammatory responses after exposure to an allergen.
The protein, called AIP-2, was also tested on human cells from people allergic to dust mites which is a common asthma trigger.
Dr Navarro said: "Our previous work on inflammatory bowel disease established hookworm proteins can change T cells from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory.
"The good news is this doesn't just protect the gut, it also protects other organs such as the airways where asthma develops."
Earlier this year another pill for asthma attacks was tested by the University of Leicester.
However Professor Alex Loukas said AIP-2 showed great promise as a potential treatment for allergies rather than relieving the symptoms.
This is an exciting development for us because it means we’re another step closer to being able to put a pill-based treatment into clinical trials
Professor Loukas
He said: "This study also represents an important step forward in our exploitation of the therapeutic potential of hookworm proteins.
"In our initial work on IBD we infected some very committed trial participants with actual hookworms.
"We have since established the protective properties of hookworms lie in their oral secretions.
"More recently, we've isolated AIP-2, one of the most abundant proteins in that secretion mixture.
Professor Loukas added: "In the asthma study we used a recombinant form of AIP-2, which is to say we're able to reproduce it in large quantities.
"We treated the mice with it by injection and also intranasally.
"This is an exciting development for us because it means we're another step closer to being able yo put a pill-based treatment into clinical trials, not just for asthma, but for other inflammatory and autoimmune diseases."
Dr Erika Kennington, head of research at Asthma UK, said it was 'an interesting avenue of investigation'.
She added: "Once we understand exactly how parasitic worms affect the immune system we can then look at potentially developing drugs based on the chemicals they produce.
"Although research in this area both at home and abroad shows promise, much work needs to be done before we know if it could lead to the development of new drugs.
"Not everyone with asthma responds to current treatments, which is why research like this is so important."
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