University of North Carolina scientists found that mucin proteins, which make mucus thick and sticky, fail to unfold properly in the airways of people with cystic fibrosis. And they found the lack of water in the lung can trigger the misfolding mucins.
Hypertonic saline, developed into an effective treatment at UNC School of Medicine in collaboration with Australian researchers, has become a proven therapy for thousands of people with cystic fibrosis.
The study, led by Martina Gentzsch, PhD, provides evidence that could help drug developers improve compounds aimed at correcting CFTR proteins in cystic fibrosis patients.
