ADD ANI AS A TRUSTED SOURCE
googleads
ANI Logo
Menu
Health

Preemies respond worse to flu, lung diseases in adulthood

Washington D.C. [USA], June 9 (ANI): A study has found that babies born before 37 weeks may respond worse to flu and other lung diseases later in life due to absence of certain lung cells.

ANI Jun 09, 2017 18:47 IST googleads

Preemies respond worse to flu, lung diseases in adulthood
Washington D.C. [USA], June 9 (ANI): A study has found that babies born before 37 weeks may respond worse to flu and other lung diseases later in life due to absence of certain lung cells. The findings suggested when newborn mices are exposed to extra oxygen at birth, which causes their lungs to respond and develop similarly to those of preterm infants, they end up with far fewer of these cells once they reach adulthood. The University of Rochester Medical Center in the US researchers explained that mice born into an oxygen-rich environment respond worse to the flu once fully grown due to an absence of certain lung cells, a discovery that provides a potential explanation for preterm infants' added susceptibility to influenza and other lung diseases later in their lives. The research focuses on alveolar type II cells, which help to rebuild lung tissue after damage. Once exposed to influenza virus as adults, these mice then developed a much more severe disease than mice born in a traditional oxygen environment. "We don't know if this is exactly what happens in preterm infants," said Michael O'Reilly. "But we do know that there's a direct correlation between the loss of these cells and an inferior response to lung disease and we do know that there's something about that early oxygen-rich environment that causes a mouse to respond poorly to viral infection later in life. So this helps connect those dots," O'Reilly added. The cells are abundant in the lungs of healthy infants, as they are responsible for producing pulmonary surfactant - a vital compound for the developing lung. As the lungs mature after birth, some of these cells may be pruned away. In theory, the lungs of premature infants take this process too far, pruning too many type II cells. "Right now, we don't really understand the biology of that," said O'Reilly. "But once we do, that opens the door to exploring a potential treatment." The study is published in the Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. (ANI)

Get the App

What to Read Next

Health

The truth about ‘Eating for Two’ explained by doctors

The truth about ‘Eating for Two’ explained by doctors

Health experts warn that interpreting the advice literally can lead to excessive calorie intake, unhealthy weight gain and a higher risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), a condition that affects blood sugar levels during pregnancy.

Read More
Health

High-fat keto diet may boost exercise benefits

High-fat keto diet may boost exercise benefits

A new study suggests that eating more fat rather than less could help the body gain greater benefits from exercise when blood sugar levels are high, offering an unexpected perspective on how diet and physical activity work together to support metabolic health.

Read More
Health

Pre-workout supplements may cut sleep in half for young users

Pre-workout supplements may cut sleep in half for young users

A popular fitness trend among young people may be quietly undermining their sleep. A new study led by researchers at the University of Toronto has found that teenagers and young adults who use pre-workout supplements are significantly more likely to experience extremely short sleep durations.

Read More
Health

The more you fear aging, the faster your body may age

The more you fear aging, the faster your body may age

Worrying about getting older especially fearing future health problems may actually speed up aging at the cellular level, according to new research from NYU.

Read More
Health

Scientists discover reason high altitude protects against diabete

Scientists discover reason high altitude protects against diabete

Living at high altitude appears to protect against diabetes, and scientists have finally discovered the reason. When oxygen levels drop, red blood cells switch into a new metabolic mode and absorb large amounts of glucose from the blood.

Read More
Health

Scientists reveal how exercise protects brain from Alzheimer's

Scientists reveal how exercise protects brain from Alzheimer's

Exercise may sharpen the mind by repairing the brain's protective shield. Researchers found that physical activity prompts the liver to release an enzyme that removes a harmful protein, causing the blood-brain barrier to become leaky with age.

Read More
Health

Scientists find clue to human brain evolution in finger length

Scientists find clue to human brain evolution in finger length

Human evolution has long been tied to growing brain size, and new research suggests prenatal hormones may have played a surprising role. By studying the relative lengths of the index and ring fingers, a marker of prenatal exposure to oestrogen and testosterone, researchers found that higher prenatal oestrogen exposure was associated with larger head size in newborn boys.

Read More
Health

Scientists solve a major roadblock in cancer cell therapy: Study 

Scientists solve a major roadblock in cancer cell therapy: Study 

Researchers have found a reliable way to grow helper T cells from stem cells, solving a major challenge in immune-based cancer therapy. Helper T cells act as the immune system's coordinators, helping other immune cells fight longer and harder.

Read More
Health

Swedish study reveals when fitness and strength begin to fade

Swedish study reveals when fitness and strength begin to fade

A long-running Swedish study has followed adults for nearly five decades, uncovering when physical decline truly begins. Fitness and strength start slipping around age 35, then worsen gradually with age.

Read More
Health

Scientists find hidden synapse hotspots in the teen brain: Study

Scientists find hidden synapse hotspots in the teen brain: Study

The scientists have discovered that the adolescent brain does more than prune old connections. During the teen years, it actively builds dense new clusters of synapses in specific parts of neurons.

Read More
Home About Us Our Products Advertise Contact Us Terms & Condition Privacy Policy

Copyright © aninews.in | All Rights Reserved.