Diseases of the Lungs

Diseases of the Lungs

The term “lung disease” covers a wide range of illnesses or conditions that impair lung function. Both pulmonary function, or how well the lungs operate, and respiratory function, or the capacity to breathe, can be impacted by lung disease.

Overview

The term “lung disease” covers a wide range of illnesses or conditions that impair lung function. Both pulmonary function, or how well the lungs operate, and respiratory function, or the capacity to breathe, can be impacted by lung disease.

Lung disorders come in a wide variety, and some of them are brought on by fungal, viral, or bacterial infections. Lung cancer and other disorders like asthma and mesothelioma are linked to environmental causes.

Emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are among the illnesses together referred to as chronic lower respiratory diseases. In the US, the collective term for chronic lower respiratory disorders is the primary cause of death.1.

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Airway narrowing or blockage is a contributing factor to respiratory illnesses including asthma and COPD, which decrease airflow.

The lungs’ capacity to hold air is diminished in various lung diseases include pneumonia, a bacterial or viral infection that causes air sacs to fill with fluid, and pulmonary fibrosis, a scarring of the lung tissue that can be brought on by a variety of circumstances.

Cell proliferation that is not normal is the cause of lung cancer. Despite the fact that lung cancer typically begins in the lungs, some cases begin elsewhere in the body and spread to the lungs. Small cell and non-small cell lung cancer are the two main forms, and each has a unique growth and dissemination pattern as well as potential treatment variations.

The primary cause of lung cancer overall is cigarette smoking. The risk of contracting the illness can also rise from breathing in secondhand smoke.

Additional environmental variables associated with lung disease include air pollution, radon gas, asbestos, and chemicals like arsenic, vinyl chloride, beryllium, and uranium.2.

NIEHS: What Does It Do?

NIEHS carries out and supports research to discover novel approaches to lung disease prevention and treatment in humans, as well as to comprehend the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the development of lung disease.

Studies on air pollution

Prolonged exposure to air pollution can impact lung development and raise the risk of acquiring respiratory conditions such as asthma and emphysema. The largest database on the health effects of indoor and outdoor air pollution is the Harvard Six Cities Study, supported by the NIEHS. Its findings demonstrate a strong correlation between exposure to ozone, fine particles, and sulfur dioxide and an increased risk of early death, reduced lung capacity, and breathing difficulties.

Chip-based lung

The creation of a three-dimensional microchip model of a breathing human lung was funded by NIEHS.3. This model evaluates the safety of novel medications as well as the impacts of exposure to the environment.

Lung health and genetics

Through a comprehensive analysis of global study data, researchers at NIEHS and their partners have discovered over 50 genetic variants that impact the likelihood of pulmonary illnesses in individuals of European, African, Asian, and Hispanic heritage.4 Many of these modifications may have an impact on how certain medications are created to treat issues with lung function.

Possibility of respiratory illnesses

The severity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) sickness in babies was exacerbated by mutations in a gene known as macrophage receptor with collagenous structure, or MARCO.5. The results could be used to identify individuals with a higher risk of contracting a severe RSV illness and to develop preventative medicines.

Lung alterations and hexavalent chromium

Inhaling water tainted with the industrial chemical hexavalent chromium can cause genetic alterations in human lung cells. These included irreversible modifications to the chromosomes—DNA molecules that contain genetic information—as well as issues with DNA repair.6

COPD and air pollution

According to a study financed by the NIEHS, breathing air pollution can cause COPD because diesel exhaust particles, a common kind of air pollution, reduce the activation of genes linked to the stress response in the lung.7.

Treatment for lung cancer

Chemotherapy frequently fails to treat non-small-cell lung cancer. In relation to this kind of cancer, researchers at NIEHS discovered that inhibiting the growth of tumors was associated with silencing a gene called INO80. This finding may result in improved treatment options and better outcomes for patients.8

Lung illness and mold exposure

As the mold Aspergillus fumigatus, common in damp houses, produced new growth, mice that had inhaled its spores experienced allergic and inflammatory responses.9, 10 The results could have an impact on the creation of therapies for respiratory conditions brought on by mold exposure.

An innovative biomarker for a respiratory ailment

Cholestenoic acid has been found by NIEHS researchers and their partners to be a novel biomarker for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a potentially fatal respiratory disease marked by lung fluid accumulation and tissue damage. A biomarker is a measurable substance in the body that indicates disease. In 30–40% of cases, ARDS is fatal, yet there are very few validated lung indicators.11

Pollution in the ambient air and asthma

Two sizable investigations supported by the NIEHS demonstrate a correlation between drops in air pollution levels and enhancements in lung function in addition to a reduction in asthma symptoms.12, 13 The results highlight how crucial policies and initiatives for reducing air pollution are to enhancing both air quality and human health.

Large-scale research supported by NIEHS

• E-cigarettes and Smoking: The goal of this research is to create novel biomarkers—quantifiable compounds found in the body that signify disease—related to either e-cigarette or tobacco smoke exposure.
• The Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study (GuLF) examines the health impacts on volunteers and employees who assisted with the cleanup and response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
• Natural History of Asthma with Longitudinal Environmental Sampling (NHALES): This research aims to clarify the role that environmental variables, including bacteria, play in the health of individuals with moderate-to-severe asthma.