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People with lung infections could treat their disease by inhaling sugar, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Manchester have discovered that inhaling sugar can boost the immune system of the lungs to fight off the infection.
Professor Andrew MacDonald, who led the study, said, "It is possible that the supply of glucose increases inflammation and helps protect against certain lung infections."
"It is reasonable to think that a short-term inhalation treatment might one day work as such a treatment," he explained.
The way in which sugar could be inhaled is not clearly explained in the study published in the journal Nature Immunology. Theoretically, the sugar could be "snorted" in powder form, but not "vaporized". When a sugar solution is heated, the water evaporates while the sugar crystallizes.
The study on mice examined specialized white blood cells called macrophages. These act as "vacuums" of the immune system, eliminating pests and debris.
The Manchester team discovered that macrophages in the lungs needed the proper glucose "fuel" to function properly. Excessive stimulation of sugar has led to inflammation of the type often badociated with chronic conditions such as asthma. Lung inflammation is also linked to the potentially lethal effects of parasitic infections, a huge problem in Africa and Asia.
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