Can the Common Cold Cure Cystic Fibrosis?
The ciliated epithelium that lines the airways of the lung normally functions to transport hydrated mucus secretions out of the airways to maintain respiratory sterility. Cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease results from reduced airway surface hydration leading to decreased mucus clearance that precipitates bacterial infection and progressive obstructive lung disease. CF is a genetic disease, and the mutant protein is a chloride ion channel (CFTR) that normally regulates ion and fluid transport on the airway surface. Restoration of corrected CFTR function to the airway epithelium of CF patients by delivering a new CFTR gene to airway epithelial cells has long been envisioned as a therapeutic strategy for CF lung disease. In 1989 scientists identified the gene mutation that causes cystic fibrosis (CF), which led to the hope that CF lung disease could be “cured” using gene therapy. The premise of gene therapy is that modified viruses or other gene-based systems could be used to deliver a co
