"When the lungs are attacked by a virus, the damage doesn't stop there. The body's natural defenses cause inflammation while fighting the virus, often leaving lasting problems. The cells that make up the lungs' mucosal lining are exposed to the environment with every breath - both highlighting the risk of infection and emphasizing the need for a robust response. In a paper published recently in Science,"
"The organ's first priority is to fight the infection. However, the body's reaction can damage the epithelial cells that line organs and form their protective barriers. "What we found is that macrophages in the lung produce a growth factor, oncostatin M (or OSM), that is able to quickly restore the epithelial barrier in the lung," Franklin said. "This rapid repair is extremely important because in the lung, you're more vulnerable to the outside environment if you don't have that barrier.""
Macrophages reside in nearly every tissue and perform multifunctional roles to maintain tissue function. In the lung, viral infection and the resultant immune response cause inflammation that can damage epithelial cells forming protective barriers. Lung macrophages produce oncostatin M (OSM), a growth factor that rapidly restores the epithelial barrier and promotes quick tissue repair. Rapid barrier restoration reduces vulnerability to the external environment and limits lasting problems after infection and inflammation. Because respiratory mucosa is constantly exposed, OSM-mediated repair offers a pathway to quickly re-establish barrier integrity and mitigate damage from both pathogens and immune responses.
Read at Harvard Gazette
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