How Unhealthy Diets Can Damage the Lungs

What we eat affects much more than just our weight – our lungs can also suffer from an unhealthy diet. A new research project is exploring how poor nutrition impacts lung health. Led by PD Dr. Julia Schipke, a DZL scientist at the BREATH site and researcher at the Institute for Functional and Applied Anatomy at Hannover Medical School (MHH), the team is investigating how unhealthy diets – especially those high in sugar and fat – affect lung health. The project, “Lifestyle Factors in Respiratory Health and Disease,” examines how dietary factors across different life stages alter lung health and the interaction between the lungs and other organs at the molecular level. All five sites of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL) are involved.

The research focuses on adipokines, signaling molecules produced by fat tissue. These molecules regulate hunger and are linked to obesity-related diseases like type 2 diabetes. Dr. Schipke and her team are studying how adipokines affect lung tissue, particularly the alveoli – the small air sacs responsible for gas exchange. They are focusing on how a diet rich in carbohydrates and fats alters surfactant production and lipid balance in alveolar cells. This can lead to thickening of blood-air barrier vessels and reduced elasticity of alveolar walls, making gas exchange more difficult.

The research involves both mouse models and human cell cultures. In mice, the effects of an unhealthy diet on lung function are examined in early and late life stages. The study also tests whether physical activity, supported by access to a running wheel for the animals, can mitigate the negative effects on the lungs. The goal is to identify new biomarkers for the early detection of lung damage caused by obesity.

Dr. Schipke explains, “We aim to discover which molecular and structural changes occur in the lungs and which signaling molecules drive these processes. Our findings could lead to better early detection methods and new treatment approaches in the long term.”

The project is funded by the DZL with a total of €760,000.

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