In Search of a Foundation for Therapies to Block and Reverse Fibrosis

Fibrosis is a form of inappropriate scarring, connective tissue forming where it should not inside organs, destroying the structures necessary for correct function. Fibrosis is involved in many age-related diseases, notably in liver conditions, for example. Researchers have in the last couple of years made a few initial inroads in targeting cell behavior to reduce fibrosis in some organs, but there is still comparatively little that can be done for patients suffering fibrotic conditions. Better and more universal approaches to block the mechanisms of fibrosis are needed, but as the publicity materials here indicate, the process of discovery is still in comparatively early stages. Researchers have utilized the new software tool to evaluate the perturbation status of many signaling pathways. This new system aimed to identify robust biomarkers of fibrotic disease and develop effective targeted therapy. Fibrosis, a progressive accumulation of extracellular matrix, can occur in a wide range of organs and potentially distort their structure and function; most commonly it affects lung and hepatic tissues, causing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and liver fibrosis respectively. Fibrosis accounts for up to 45% of deaths in the developed world, yet to date no effective therapeutic treatment has been developed. "Currently, there are no approved anti-fibrotic remedies and no reliable fibrotic biomarker. Our system can detect hidden fibrotic molecular signatures based on a pa...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs