Posted on 03/18/2021 11:41:47 AM PDT by Red Badger
A human plasma cell.
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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.
This is great news, coming from a person in the midst of a colitis flare that started mid-January 2021.
Colitis and other such afflictions may be a result of a lack of this protein due to a genetic piece missing..................
Imagine how much they'd lose if there were a cure for cancer.
Imagine how much they’d MAKE if there was a cure for cancer!....................
That would be HUGE!
That looks like somebody made Rice Crispy Treats with shredded wheat.
Colitis and other such afflictions may be a result of a lack of this protein due to a genetic piece missing..................
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I was going to add that I got colitis from my dad, but didn’t want to whine. I wonder how I can add this protein to my system. I will try this before I try a covid vax.
Or they dropped a meatball on the cat’s pillow.................🤣
My kid has Crohns. He’s doing well since he had some of his intestine removed but this sounds very promising.
check into ‘elemental diet’ - it’s quite expensive- I just got about 15 days worth for $208- and that is just at 2 meals a day (I’m gonna have to supplement with something like Whey isolate which is basically also elemental (predigested, or broken down proteins) for a couple of ‘meals’ during the day. I’d like to go total elemental though, but that will likely cost upwards of $1000 for 1 month’s worth to get the calories needed daily- (about 2000-2500).
It gives your intestines a chance to relax, where is doesn’t have to work so hard to break down proteins. It’s a bit tough to do as you can only drink the stuff for however long- some do it for 2 weeks. Some though do a partial, meaning mostly the drink, but also allowing easy to digest foods too-
‘Absorb Plus’ is about the best you can get without prescription- but they say you shouldn’t do it without doctor’s supervision- but I don’t care- gonna try it myself- Intestinal autoimmune diseases are awful- Sorry you have to go through it-
I just learned about elemental diets literally 5 days ago- been checking it out- I did go on enteral feeding in hospital way back when, which helped a lot-
If you don’t mind the question, Do you suffer fibromyalgia with it too?
Suffering succotash! Now we know why Sylvester talks the way he does—mouth full of fur. hahahaha
check out elemental diets if he has flares- looks pretty helpful for people with intestinal autoimmune problems- very expensive, but totally worth it IF it works- i can’t comment on whether it does or not- awaiting my shipment as we speak
Bkmk
(14 year surviver)
bmp
The bad news is you die of cancer.
I thought biomeme transplants were helping Crohns?
Oh, Ok:
Go ahead and continue the behavior which creates the condition (as for most people...NOT all) and create a ‘tolerance’ which muted the immune response.
Someday...eh, I’m not going into it. Some who’ve read my prior posts will understand, but I’m no longer discussing health matters.
Sarcasm is well-deserved in this case.
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