In a new study, researchers have found the key to treating inflammatory diseases like asthma, allergies, chronic fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
They discovered that neuromedin B (NMB), a protein produced by the nervous system, was responsible for preventing overactive immune responses and damaging inflammation.
The research was conducted by a team at Rutgers and elsewhere.
An immune response refers to the body’s ability to recognize and defend itself against harmful substances.
Although beneficial to help clear infections, an immune response can also promote damaging inflammation if not properly restricted.
For many years, the mechanism through which the body shuts down an inflammatory response to heal itself after worm infections remained poorly understood.
In the study, the researchers found that the NMB protein can stop the type of inflammation that occurs in diseases like asthma, allergies, chronic fibrosis, and COPD.
The study provided that understanding and a hope for possible treatments using NMB, which has great potential to treat inflammatory diseases like asthma, allergies, and COPD.
COPD is the third most common cause of death among inflammatory diseases and allergies the sixth in the United States.
Scientists previously thought the immune system was capable of regulating itself in order to resolve inflammation to prevent tissue damage.
However, emerging work is beginning to reveal that complex interactions between the immune system and the nervous system serve to restrict inflammation and promote health.
The next steps for researchers include developing drugs using the protein to treat diseases like asthma, COPD, and allergies.
One author of the study is Mark C. Siracusa, lead author and an assistant professor at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
The study is published in Nature Immunology.
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