UniSA researchers discover that an inflammatory protein may be essential for treating severe asthma

Australian scientists’ work has yielded a potential advance in the fight against severe asthma. According to the Xinhua news agency, their newly published research clarifies the function of inflammatory proteins in the management of this difficult illness.
An ongoing respiratory condition that affects millions of people worldwide, asthma has long been a health issue. The World Health Organization estimates that 262 million people worldwide suffered from asthma in 2019.

The University of South Australia (UniSA) team leading the research emphasizes the role of inflammatory molecules called beta-common cytokines in causing airway inflammation and scarring, particularly in instances of severe and steroid-resistant asthma.

According to their study, trabikihart, a therapeutic antibody, may be the key to successfully reducing tissue damage and inflammation. The director of UniSA’s Allergy and Cancer Immunology Laboratory and co-leader of the research, Damon Tumes, emphasized the shortcomings of existing medications, which often target specific molecules despite the complex nature of asthma.

According to Tumes, “multiple types of immune cells that enter the lungs as a result of allergens, viruses, and other microbes that interact with the airways cause inflammation and tissue damage in severe asthma.” Steroids, the first line of therapy for severe asthma, can’t always manage the inflammation in some patients.

“Targeting multiple inflammatory cytokines with a single drug may be the key to treat and control complex and severe chronic airway disease,” he said.

In November 2023, the National Asthma Council Australia released a depressing data that shows a worrying increase in asthma-related mortality. Australia had 467 deaths from asthma in 2022, up from 355 in 2021. This was the greatest number of deaths attributable to asthma since 2017. The increase in asthma-related mortality in South Australia (SA), which increased by 88 percent between 2021 and 2022, is especially concerning.

The results of this research indicate a possible move towards more all-encompassing and successful treatment approaches, which gives those suffering from severe asthma a glimmer of hope.