University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Study on Lung-Infecting Bacterial Enzyme Suggests New Approach to Cystic Fibrosis Treatment
(PHILADELPHIA) – Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discovered that an enzyme produced by lung-infecting bacteria further shuts down a protein that is defective in cystic fibrosis patients. The disruption to this protein that conveys ions from lung cells to airways causes thick mucus to buildup inside the lung. The finding suggests a new therapeutic target for treating lung infections in some cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.