|
medpundit |
||
 |
 |
|
Friday, June 11, 2004Yale University scientists found high levels of an enzyme called chitinase, produced by the immune system, soar in mice with asthma-like disease. The enzyme is linked to parasites because it breaks down chitin, found on the surfaces of parasites and insects. ... In their study, the Yale team found that those mice not bred to have the asthma-like disease had far less chitinase. Lung tissue from humans with asthma also showed high levels of chitinase. The enzyme was undetectable in tissue from people who did not have the disease. Overproduction of the enzyme was found to depend on a protein in the immune system called interleukin-13. Extra IL-13, common in the lungs of asthmatics, is thought to help spark asthma attacks. Could lead to a whole new way of treating asthma. posted by Sydney on 6/11/2004 08:05:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
|
