Old Lungs & Ibuprofen

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BOB HIRSHON (host):

Helping lungs protect themselves. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.

Inflammation is at the root of many disorders, and it worsens with age. Immunologist Joanne Turner at Ohio State University reports in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology that aging mice showed pronounced inflammation in lung tissue.

JOANNE TURNER (Ohio State University):

And then when our mice were placed on ibuprofen, those cells essentially toned down that response, and so they looked very similar to cells in the lungs of a young mouse and the lungs looked very similar to the lungs of a young mouse.

HIRSHON:

They also challenged the mice with tuberculosis bactéria, and found that old mice on ibuprofen could fight off infection as well as young mice. The work offers new avenues for research, but Turner says it’s premature to recommend taking ibuprofen regularly. She says for most people, the best way to control inflammation is by exercising and eating a healthy diet. I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.