Excess neuropeptides disrupt lung function in infant disease and COVID-19 (Migraine drugs found to work against excess lung fluid conditions, such as ARDS and NEHI)

Medical Xpress / University of California - San Diego / Developmental Cell ^ | Mar. 18, 2022 | Nicole Mlynaryk / Jinhao Xu et al

[ConservativeMind]

COVID-19 has put a spotlight on the pulmonary and nervous systems, but there is still much to learn about how they interact. Researchers explored this relationship in the context of a childhood lung disease, but their findings may also apply to COVID-19 symptoms.

Scientists show excessive neuropeptide secretion by neuroendocrine cells in the lungs can lead to fluid buildup and poor oxygenation; blocking the neuropeptides may be an effective treatment.

Neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) is a lung disease affecting infants in which lung size and structure appear normal but blood-oxygen levels are consistently low. There is no disease-specific treatment available for NEHI, and most children require supplemental oxygen for many years.

The defining feature of NEHI is an increase in the number of pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs), a type of lung cell with many neuronal properties. These cells serve as a gateway between the nervous system and the lung, taking in signals about the air environment and directing the lung to respond. But until now, physicians did not know how these cells contribute to the disease, or if they merely proliferate in response.

In the study, Xin Sun, Ph.D. confirmed a developmental increase in PNECs is what drives NEHI, and revealed how these neuron-like cells can disrupt lung function.

One such condition is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a lung condition with multiple causes, including SARS-CoV-2 infection. In patients with COVID-19-associated ARDS, excess fluid is the primary cause of death.

The researchers were able to obtain lung tissue samples from COVID-19 patients. They found the samples also had an increased proportion of CGRP-secreting PNECs, suggesting the same mechanism may contribute to the excess fluid in COVID-19 lungs.

Sun notes that several CGRP and CGRP-receptor antagonists have already been approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of migraines.

[ConservativeMind]

This is a promising reuse of existing drugs against serious health issues.

[ConservativeMind]

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[ConservativeMind]

Ping of possible interest.

[struggle]

[MarMema]

Thank you!

[WildHighlander57]

Are there any retrospective studies showing that folks taking anti-migraine drugs didn’t get covid as bad?

Similar to folks (like my sister in law) that take hydroxychloroquine for rheumatoid arthritis not getting covid in spite of someone in the house (like my brother) catching it.

[Does so]

There are anti-migraine drugs?

Will they treat migraine aura and headache too?

[gloryblaze]

I know nothing about any of them personally.

https://www.drugs.com/drug-class/antimigraine-agents.html