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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 Smoking-related irritation of the lungs triggers a complex immune response that includes an accumulation of different types of immune cells. An analysis of lung tissue from emphysema patients revealed the normally helpful immune cells called dendritic cells travel to the lung and induce T-helper 1 and T-helper 17 cells to destroy lung tissue and proteins responsible for lung elasticity.
The T-helper 17 cells secrete a protein that triggers a reaction that attracts more dendritic cells to the lungs, leading to a repeat of the destructive cycle, the researchers found.
The findings offer more evidence that emphysema (primarily caused by cigarette smoke) is an autoimmune disease. This line of research may lead to new drugs that can control lung damage, the study authors said.
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The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about lung transplantation.
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-- Robert Preidt
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