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Aust'n researchers make breakthrough in fight against killer lung diseases

Xinhua, July 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

A team of Australian scientists has made a key breakthrough in the fight against lung cancer and emphysema.

Researchers from Melbourne's Hudson Institute of Medical Science have discovered that the molecule Interleukin 6 (Il-6) causes inflammation which triggers both the deadly diseases.

The six-year project by the Hudson team confirmed previous theories that Il-6 is linked to the diseases when the team uncovered the "trans-signalling" process used by the molecule prompts cell growth in lung cancer and cell destruction in emphysema.

"The beauty of the two studies we have done is that we have shown that yes, the molecule is increased in the blood and tissue biopsies, but importantly we have shown that if you target Il-6 and block it you will see a suppression of disease in both lung cancer and emphysema," lead researcher Professor Brendan Jenkins told News Limited on Tuesday.

"Importantly, we have now identified the way of targeting Il-6."

Having developed a blood test that detects abnormal levels of Il-6, the Hudson team believes a screening process that detects the diseases in their earliest stages can be developed.

The researchers believe that an existing drug, known only as sgp130Fc, currently being trialed in Europe to fight bowel disease, will be able to prevent Il-6 from functioning and offer new hope to 15,000 Australians killed by the lung diseases every year.

"You see a dramatic reduction in the amount of tumors forming - they just don't seem to grow anywhere near as well as the tumors would if sgp130Fc was not there," Jenkins said.

"It is very effective at blocking and retarding the growth of these tumors.

"The more amazing thing is that if you treat an animal just before they would normally start to develop emphysema, the mice just don't develop the disease at all. It blocks it completely and there is no emphysema at all."

The results of the study were published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Endit