Pulmonary; infectious disease

Patient sample and mouse studies suggest the PTMA-derived peptide thymosin α1 could help treat CF and CF-related pulmonary fungal infections. In primary bronchial epithelial cells from five CF patients homozygous for a CFTR mutation, thymosin α1 increased CFTR expression and function in cells from three patients compared with a scrambled peptide. In a mouse model of CF harboring the mutation, thymosin α1 decreased lung pathology and increased the expression, plasma membrane localization and function of CFTR. In a model with pulmonary Aspergillus fumigatus infection, thymosin α1 decreased lung pathology, fungal burden in the lungs and lung levels of proinflammatory cytokines and inflammasome activity. Next steps include a pilot clinical study of thymosin α1 in CF patients (see “Cool and Also Collected.” BioCentury Innovations (April 13, 2017))...