Leprosy Bacteria may hold the key to helping the Liver Regenerate

Bacteria that cause leprosy can reprogram liver cells to grow new tissue, an ability that can help develop treatments to regenerate aging and diseased livers.

Leprosy is caused by a slow-growing bacterium called  Mycobacterium leprae, which can infect the nerves, skin, eyes, and nose, causing sores, lumps, and bumps to become severely deformed.

 Anura Rambukana and her colleagues at the University of Edinburgh in the UNITED Kingdom discovered that M.  Leprae is known as  “biological alchemy”  for growth and proliferation through host tissue.

In 2013, they reported that M.  Leprae hijacks the genes in Schwann cells, which produce a fatty substance that inhibits peripheral nerve fibers. Bacteria reactivate developmental genes, causing Schwann cells to return to a migratory, stem cell-like state and move around the body, enabling the bacteria to infect more cells.

In their latest study, Rambukkana and his colleagues showed that M.  Leprae can similarly “reprogram”  liver cells as well.

“Leprosy bacteria can grow liver tissue at the organ level and this can translate into creating therapies that can replace liver transplants,” Rambukana says.

Researchers infected nine armadillos, the natural host of leprosy bacteria, and found that the infection reprograms the entire liver to a developmental state.

Infected animals had significantly larger livers containing large amounts of dividing immature liver cells, as well as proportional dilation of blood vessels and bile ducts,  which produce, store,  and secrete bile.

Importantly, the enlarged livers were perfectly healthy,  showing no signs of thickening, scarring, or tumor growth. Infection also activates anti-aging genes and inactivates aging genes.

Tissue reprogramming is a promising field of research in regenerative medicine, but there are major safety concerns. Rambukkana says a widely used method to turn mature cells into stem cells in the lab can cause aggressive cancer.  “Conversely, our humble leprosy bacteria naturally induce partial reprogramming of adult tissues. “

1. Unlocking LePro’s secrets can therefore help develop secure reprogramming methods.

“This study provides a new tool for studying liver regeneration and regeneration,” says Luca Urbani of the Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology in London. “This can help us understand how to activate liver regeneration and growth in a safe way, maintaining intact organ formation and function without the development of unwanted effects such as tumor formation and scarring.” “

Leprosy may hold the key to curing liver disease — ending the need for organ transplants, according to new research.

A team at the University of Edinburgh says the ancient infection harbors a bug that can actually program cells to reproduce vital organs,  increasing its size without causing damage, scarring, or tumor. Experiments on armadillos suggest that scientists can adapt them to combat an increasing rate of liver problems. Liver disease usually starts due to obesity, with one in four dealing with the disorder — many don’t even know they have it.

It doesn’t cause any symptoms initially, making it difficult to identify until it’s too late. Ultimately, this leads to liver failure, leaving patients in need of a transplant. The armored mammal carries Mycobacterium leprae, which causes leprosy — also known as Hansen’s disease.

“If we can identify how bacteria grow the liver as a functional organ without causing adverse effects in living organisms, we may be able to translate that knowledge into developing safe therapeutic interventions to regenerate the aging liver and regenerate damaged tissues,” said lead author Anura Rambuccana from the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh.  In the media release.

Leprosy has had a terrible reputation for centuries

Leprosy has haunted humanity for thousands of years, scarring, distorting, and socially displacing victims. Lepers have been almost universally condemned, imprisoned in colonies, prohibited from marrying, and expelled from the city. Their presence in literature often portrays them as morally unfit and full of indomitable will.

However, there is growing evidence that Mycobacterium leprae can regenerate the aging liver and extend the disease-free window of a human lifespan. This will help combat chronic donor organ deficiencies. Currently, the only option for people with the end-stage scarred liver is a replacement.

Previous attempts to enlarge the mouse’s liver with the help of invasive techniques using stem cells capable of being any type of tissue resulted in scarring and tumors. Professor Rambukkana and colleagues overcame the harmful side effects of turning to Mycobacterium lepra.

They discovered it by performing  “biological alchemy,” which turns nerves into stem cells and muscles in the body of a natural host. The team, including colleagues from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, infected  57 armadillos with the parasite.

They compared their livers to uninfected armadillos and those that were found to be resistant to infection. Infected animals produce enlarged yet healthy and intact livers with the same vital components, such as blood vessels, bile ducts, and functional units called lobulae.

Bacteria “hey jack”  the liver’s inherent regenerative capacity, which increases the size of the organ and provides it with more cells within which to grow. The team reached the main cells in the liver called hepatocytes in a “regenerated” state.

Infected armadillos also have gene expression patterns in their livers, a cell-forming blueprint, similar to the livers of small animals and human embryos.  Genes related to metabolism, growth, and cell proliferation were activated, and those that were associated with aging were controlled — or suppressed.

Scientists believe that bacteria reprogram liver cells, returning them to earlier levels of previous cells, which in turn into new hepatocytes and liver tissue.  The results from the journal  Cell Reports Medicine has the potential to help develop interventions for aging and damaged liver in humans, adds Professor Rambukana.

Is the best treatment for liver disease a healthy diet?

Liver disease claims the lives of two million people worldwide each year. It often goes undiagnosed and can eventually lead to cardiovascular disease. Known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD  ), this condition is the result of a large amount of fat accumulating around the organ.

Life-threatening conditions sometimes result in inflammation, scarring, and even organ failure. The incidence may be even higher due to the challenge of diagnosis. An unhealthy diet of junk food and sugary drinks is fuelling the pandemic.

This condition increases the risk of serious liver damage, including cirrhosis. Lifestyle changes are the basis of treatment. These include cutting down on ready-to-eat foods, burgers, processed meats, pizzas, and pastries, and eating more fiber-rich vegetables and whole grains. Health experts recommend avoiding the Mediterranean-style diet and alcohol.

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