New study finds blocking histones using antibodies alleviated lung fibrosis

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Lung fibrosis is a debilitating disease affecting nearly 250,000 people in the U.S. alone with 50,000 new cases reported each year. There is currently no cure and limited available treatment options, underscoring the pressing need to better understand why people get this disease. In a new study, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine researchers have identified that abnormal interactions between different cell types, particularly platelets and lung immune cells, promote lung fibrosis. According to the researchers, this study highlights how different cell types work together in lung fibrosis. Platelets are cells that normally form blood clots, but in lung fibrosis they become involved in immune cell functions that end up attacking healthy cells and damaging the lung. While the immune system is supposed to protect us from viruses and bacteria, in patients with lung fibrosis it harms their own body.