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Asthma – French researchers on the track of a treatment target
French researchers at INSERM (the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research) report that they have discovered “a first therapeutic target for asthma”. At the heart of their discovery are the mitochondria, which are a kind of powerhouse for the cells.
According to Patrick Berger and his colleagues at the Physiopathology of bronchial and vascular reactivity unit in Bordeaux, the mitochondria play a “crucial role in the remodelling of the airways that is associated with asthma”.
This mechanism is triggered by the abnormal penetration of calcium into the smooth muscle cells of the bronchial tubes. It appears to be directly linked to an increase in the mitochondrial mass, which in turn leads to an excessive proliferation of smooth muscle cells and thus the remodelling of the airways.
The researchers see reason to be hopeful: “these studies offer new therapeutic perspectives for the treatment of asthma. Clinical effectiveness will be tested starting this year with a pilot study at Bordeaux University Hospital ”.
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