Ancient disease has potential to regenerate livers, study finds (Leprosy infection benefits livers)

Medical Xpress / University of Edinburgh / Cell Reports Medicine ^ | Nov. 15, 2022 | Anura Rambukkana et al

[ConservativeMind]

Leprosy is one of the world's oldest diseases but the bacteria that cause it may also have the surprising ability to grow and regenerate a vital organ.

Scientists have discovered that parasites associated with leprosy can reprogram cells to increase the size of a liver in adult animals without causing damage, scarring or tumors.

The findings suggest the possibility of adapting this natural process to renew aging livers and increase healthspan in humans.

Experts say it could also help regrow damaged livers, thereby reducing the need for transplantation, which is currently the only curative option for people with end-stage scarred livers.

To overcome these harmful side-effects, researchers built on their previous discovery of the partial cellular reprogramming ability of the leprosy-causing bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae.

The team infected 57 armadillos—a natural host of leprosy bacteria—with the parasite and compared their livers with those of uninfected armadillos and those that were found to be resistant to infection.

They found that the infected animals developed enlarged—yet healthy and unharmed—livers with the same vital components, such as blood vessels, bile ducts and functional units known as lobules, as the uninfected and resistant armadillos.

The team believe the bacteria "hijacked" the inherent regenerative ability of the liver to increase the organ's size and, therefore, to provide it with more cells within which to increase.

Livers of the infected armadillos also contained gene expression patterns (the blueprint for building a cell) similar to those in younger animals and human fetal livers.

Genes related to metabolism, growth and cell proliferation were activated and those linked with aging were downregulated, or suppressed.

Scientists think this is because the bacteria reprogramed the liver cells, returning them to the earlier stage of progenitor cells, which in turn became new hepatocytes and grow new liver tissues.

[Georgia Girl 2]

😅

[Ronaldus Magnus]

My liver is great. Unfortunately I’m missing and ear and a nose.

That might be a good trade since you can live without those last two while a liver is a requirement for living.

[SunkenCiv]

This topic was posted 11/15/2022, thanks ConservativeMind.

[Red Badger]

Armadillos are known to carry leprosy.

So go catch one and hug it!...................😜