The bacteria that cause leprosy can reprogram liver cells to grow new tissue, suggesting they may hold the key to therapies that could replace liver transplants
The bacteria that cause leprosy can reprogram liver cells to grow new tissue, an ability that may help to develop treatments to rejuvenate ageing and diseased livers., which can infect the nerves, skin, eyes and nose, leading to the condition’s main symptom of severely disfiguring sores, lumps and bumps.performs what they call “biological alchemy” in order to grow and spread through host tissue.
“Leprosy bacteria can grow the liver tissues at organ level and this could translate to develop therapies that could replace liver transplantation,” says Rambukkana. The researchers infected nine armadillos, the natural host of leprosy bacteria, and found that infection reprograms the entire liver into a developmental state.
Infected animals had significantly larger livers containing large numbers of dividing immature liver cells, as well as a proportionate expansion of blood vessels and biliary ducts, which produce, store and secrete bile. Importantly, the enlarged livers were perfectly healthy, showing no signs of thickening, scarring or tumour growth. Infection also activated anti-ageing genes and deactivated those associated with ageing.
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