A novel study that used a combination of complex techniques to look in detail at lung tissue could lead to new treatments for the fatal lung disease, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive lung disease. It is characterised by the build-up of deposits (called fibrosis) which destroy the lungs’ architecture, impairing the vital exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide within them.
The prognosis for patients with IPF is poor, with patients on current medications still only surviving for an average of just four years. New treatments for the illness are needed urgently.
Researchers funded by the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at the University of Leicester have recently carried out a study to try to understand fibrosis in lung tissue, with the hope it may lead to the development of more effective anti-fibrotic medications.
The Leicester team used samples of lung tissue provided by 11 donors to investigate the role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ).
Their results have been published in the European Journal of Pharmacology.
This study used proteomic analysis – which is the large-scale study of proteins within a biological system (for example a cell or tissue.). It is used to identify, quantify, and characterise the entire set of proteins (the proteome) present, along with their modifications and interactions.
Using this analysis the researchers explored whether TGFβ1 leads to more fibrosis in the tissue, and to evaluate the viability of this model for testing novel therapeutic targets.
Dr Colleen Maxwell, who carried out this research with colleagues at the University of Leicester’s multi-omics facility, said: “We observed that a pro-fibrotic proteome is induced in human lung parenchyma exposed to TGFβ1, and that it was sensitive to pharmacological intervention.
“We then carried out drug repurposing analysis and identified 265 drugs that had the potential to inhibit the progression of the proteins towards a fibrotic state.
“Knowing that these drugs can inhibit fibrosis could lead to potential new medicines to treat IPF.
“The project was a great example of cross-theme collaboration within the BRC. I worked alongside Dr Katy Roach, senior author on this paper, who brought her extensive expertise in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) models.
“My own background is in mass spectrometry and cardiovascular proteomics, and we saw an opportunity to apply these techniques to investigate fibrotic mechanisms in the lung.
“By combining our respective areas of expertise, we were able to characterise the proteomic changes induced by TGFβ1 in human lung parenchymal tissue and evaluate the impact of pharmacological intervention. The collaboration allowed us to bring proteomic precision and depth to a respiratory disease context.”