East Montgomery Times

A new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has shown that a combination of mRNA and lipid nanoparticles may aid in healing damaged lungs. The research, published in Nature Communications, explores an injectable therapy that targets lung damage caused by viruses, physical trauma, or other issues.

Study author Elena Atochina-Vasserman, MD, PhD, emphasized the challenges of treating lung damage: “The lungs are hard-to-treat organs because both permanent and temporary damage often happen in the deeper regions where medication does not easily reach.” She noted that even intravenous drugs lack specificity, making targeted approaches valuable.

Lung damage can result from various causes such as physical accidents or respiratory viruses like COVID-19. These can lead to inflammation and fluid buildup in the airways. Respiratory diseases were among the top causes of death globally before the pandemic.

The research utilizes ionizable amphiphilic Janus dendrimers (IAJDs), a type of lipid nanoparticle derived from natural materials discovered by Virgil Percec, PhD. These IAJDs are organ-specific and deliver mRNA directly to the lungs. Once there, the mRNA instructs the immune system to produce transforming growth factor beta (TGF-b), essential for tissue repair.

“This research marks the birth of a new mRNA delivery platform with its own strengths and potential beyond the original mRNA LNPs,” said Drew Weissman, MD, PhD. He highlighted that this platform is easier to produce and doesn't require extremely cold storage temperatures.

Virgil Percec mentioned that while this study focused on lung treatment, similar methods are being tested for other organs such as the spleen. The study received support from several institutions including the National Institutes of Health Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Science Foundation.