Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Scientists Find a Natural Protein That Stops Allergies And Autoimmune Conditions
https://www.sciencealert.com ^ | 11 MARCH 2021 | TESSA KOUMOUNDOUROS

Posted on 03/18/2021 11:41:47 AM PDT by Red Badger

A human plasma cell.

===============================================================

For the millions of us plagued by hypersensitive, overactive, or downright abusive immune systems, it can feel like you're constantly fighting your own physical self.

From incessant allergies to life-threatening anaphylaxis and debilitating autoimmune disease, the system that's supposed to be protecting us can be problematic when it goes wrong. Now, we might be closer to fixing these issues in an entirely new way.

Using transgenic mice and cultures of cells taken from human tonsils, researchers have now found evidence of how our bodies might defend against the mistakes that result in conditions such as asthma, food allergies, and lupus. They found a protein called neuritin, produced by immune cells. It acts a bit like an inbuilt, boss-level antihistamine.

"There are over 80 autoimmune diseases, in many of them we find antibodies that bind to our own tissues and attack us instead of targeting pathogens - viruses and bacteria," explained immunologist Paula Gonzalez-Figueroa from the Australian National University (ANU).

"We found neuritin suppresses formation of rogue plasma cells which are the cells that produce harmful antibodies."

We have known for some time that the immune system's regulatory T cells suppress self-targeting antibodies and immunoglobulin E (IgE) - the antibodies that instigate release of the notorious histamines in response to allergies - but not how. It took Gonzalez-Figueroa and her team five years to work it out, with the help of genetically engineered mice and lab-grown human cells.

In another of biology's usual games of chain reactions, a special class of cells called follicular regulatory T (or Tfr) pumps out neuritin, which turns down production of IgE (this is its antihistamine action) and suppresses other processes that send plasma cells out on self-targeting missions (hence, quashing our autoimmune responses), the researchers found.

Mice without the ability to produce neuritin had an increased chance of dying from anaphylaxis when injected with albumin from an egg. These mice, genetically bred to lack neuritin-producing Tfr cells, grew a population of faulty plasma cells early on in their life. These are the cells that developed self-antigens.

But when the team treated Tfr-deficient mice by injecting neuritin into their veins, they had some striking results.

"Tfr-deficient mice treated with neuritin appeared healthy," Gonzalez-Figueroa and colleagues wrote in their paper, explaining the treatment led to the disappearance of the rogue B cell population too.

The team cautions they're yet to understand the full pathway involved in these immune mechanisms, or the effects of neuritin on other cellular processes. While neuritin has been studied in human nervous systems for quite some time, the exact way it triggers cells hasn't been clear.

To find out, white cells from human blood and tonsils were analysed in the presence of the protein, revealing clues on it acting internally. The results could lead to a better understanding of how we might use neuritin in the future to treat immune conditions.

"This could be more than a new drug - it could be a completely new approach to treat allergies and autoimmune diseases," Vinuesa said.

"If this approach was successful, we would not need to deplete important immune cells nor dampen the entire immune system; instead, we would only need to use the proteins our own body uses to ensure immune tolerance."

If they're right, and neuritin proves safe, it may one day allow the growing number of us facing allergies and autoimmune diseases some peace with our own bodies. Watch this space.

This paper was published in Cell.


TOPICS: Agriculture; Business/Economy; Gardening; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: allergy; anaphylaxis; antigens; autoimmune; disease; health; immune; neuritin; protein; tcell
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-40 last
To: Sans-Culotte

I’ve developed food allergies and have trouble with arthritis.

This sounds very interesting to me indeed.

Unless it gets “Bidened” by Bidencare.


21 posted on 03/18/2021 12:59:35 PM PDT by jdsteel ("A Republic, Madam, if you can keep it." Sorry Ben, looks like we blew it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: logi_cal869

This could be a life saver for people that have deadly allergies. I would not recommend it for hay fever.................


22 posted on 03/18/2021 1:00:15 PM PDT by Red Badger ("We've always been at war with Climate Change, Winston."..............................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Chickensoup

Never heard of that but a quick look online sounds like they use it only for severe cases. My son’s isn’t severe.

A buddy of mine has a son with it. He’s only 11. He just had a colostomy bag attached for a few months to allow everything in the intestines to heal. He’s taking to it pretty well.


23 posted on 03/18/2021 1:02:55 PM PDT by cyclotic (Live your life in such a way that they hate you as much as they hated Rush Limbaugh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: cyclotic

If they took part of his intestine, it is severe in my book


24 posted on 03/18/2021 1:09:58 PM PDT by Chickensoup (Voter ID for 2020!! Leftists totalitarian fascists appear to be planning to eradicate conservatives)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I have a defective gene that causes COPD and cirrhosis. It can be treated with the missing protein in a weekly transfusion or a liver transplant. Going for the transplant which will work on all the causes.


25 posted on 03/18/2021 1:11:20 PM PDT by KYGrandma (The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Chickensoup

Not according to his doctor. They removed the problem part. It may come back it may not. He’s living a perfectly normal life with no treatments.


26 posted on 03/18/2021 1:11:25 PM PDT by cyclotic (Live your life in such a way that they hate you as much as they hated Rush Limbaugh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: cyclotic

Wow, times have changed.


27 posted on 03/18/2021 1:12:41 PM PDT by Chickensoup (Voter ID for 2020!! Leftists totalitarian fascists appear to be planning to eradicate conservatives)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Hence my cryptic point (’not all’).

However...violating my prior, briefly...I have found that many autoimmune conditions - again, not for all people - are correctable with behavior & lifestyle changes.

But that’s all I got to say about that...


28 posted on 03/18/2021 1:26:37 PM PDT by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 /!i!! &@$%&*(@ -)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Reminds me of the Obama/Biden deal with Iran where Iran had/has absolute veto power over the “investigators”.


29 posted on 03/18/2021 1:42:37 PM PDT by libertylover (Many people who want to destroy us have bumper stickers on their cars that say: "Coexist".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: G Larry
There are some things that "Big Pharma" just doesn't want fixed.

This is such B.S. Big pharma is made up of people that have family that get diseases. I work for a company that produces an insulin pump (among other things). My son has type 1 diabetes. I would happily find another job if a cure were found.

30 posted on 03/18/2021 1:51:23 PM PDT by toast
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Sans-Culotte; Conservative4Life

Indeed.


31 posted on 03/18/2021 2:10:12 PM PDT by Trillian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I wonder how many CCPVirus deaths involved those who had their tonsils removed?


32 posted on 03/18/2021 2:56:58 PM PDT by blueplum ("...this moment is your moment: it belongs to you... " President Donald J. Trump, Jan 20, 2017) )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blueplum

“I wonder how many CCPVirus deaths involved those who had their tonsils removed?”

I wonder if kids whose tonsils weren’t removed have all the autoimmune issues we have.


33 posted on 03/18/2021 3:49:43 PM PDT by FrogMom (Time marches on...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: metmom; ConservativeMind

ping


34 posted on 03/18/2021 5:24:12 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save + be baptized + follow Him!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: daniel1212

I’d be game to volunteer for a trial on this treatment.


35 posted on 03/18/2021 6:09:18 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Bkmk


36 posted on 03/18/2021 6:41:20 PM PDT by Cottonbay
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: toast

So they had no role in suppressing the use of Ivermectin in the treatment of COVID?


37 posted on 03/18/2021 7:59:28 PM PDT by G Larry (Authority is vested in those to whom it applies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: G Larry

Mostly due to TDS of the press. They had to “resist” and prove Trump a fool. Like drinking bleach.


38 posted on 03/19/2021 7:22:11 AM PDT by toast
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: Bob434

Bob, It’s so nice to meet you. I was diagnosed with microscopic colitis. My Ileum gets inflamed. Not
Crohns. I don’t have fibromyalgia, but I do have gout. I eat a fodmap diet. certain sugars bother my colon. I can have maple syrup but not sugar. I’m off wheat, most dairy and certain fruits. For protein, I mostly eat chicken breast and fish.

No more spicy foods. Being from MN, ketchup is considered a spice.

I will keep the elemental diet in mind. Some times I hurt so bad that I will try anything to feel better.


39 posted on 03/19/2021 11:27:13 AM PDT by BarbM (FU Pence. You refuse to be alone with a woman, but have no compunction in screwing the USA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: BarbM

Hello- nice to meet you too- a friend of mine has what you have- she really suffers terrible from it too- Sorry to hear that you have it- no fun for sure-

I just learned about the elemental diet a few days ago- i had been on something very similar when i was young, and it really helped, but i didn’t know there was a diet outside the hospital setting that was like it-

I’ve tried many many things over the years- in desperation- spent way too much money on one promised ‘cure’ after another- I’m now very jaded about claims- I’m going to give this elemental a try though- one last ‘hail mary’ attempt at healing so to speak, and the only reason I’m even willing to give this a try is because it is claimed to ‘give the digestive system a rest’ just like the enteral diet i had i n the hospital did, and it just makes sense to me that the digestive track needs a rest, and i need better nutrition, easily absorbed nutrition as my condition prevents good nutrition, and that may have been what eventually caused my exhaustion and weakness- it’s like the body hasn’t got enough fuel to keep the energy going throughout the day- there’s a breakdown somewhere along he food to fuel process, or from the fuel to energy conversion (there are some conditions like glucose storage diseases that can’t turn the fuel into energy, but those are rare- s i doubt that is the problem with me)

Doc claims i have fibro- but i don’t have any of the tender points that fibro patients are supposed to have- so i have my doubts about that diagnosis -

Anyways- I’m gonna give it a try- supposed to do the diet under medical supervision- but meh- whatever- I’m gonna just do it on my own- one last try- I don’;t have high hopes- but we’ll see what happens-

Yeah i gotta avoid spicy foods too- i can eat sugar though- but probably would feel better if i didn’t- Though i did go sugar free for 8 months once- but didn’t feel much improvement-

Hopefully soem day they figure otu how to tackle these diseases- Hope this article’s protein will one day help a lot of folks who suffer from various autoimmune issues- woudl be nice-


40 posted on 03/19/2021 1:13:21 PM PDT by Bob434
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-40 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson