A new study may finally hold the key to treating a variety of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythmatosus (SLE), type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.
A team of researchers from Bristol University embarked on an incredible study that showed it's highly possible to switch off cells that cause autoimmune diseases. In an autoimmune disease, the body's own immune cells see the body as a threat, thereby attacking the tissues and organs.
While many of these diseases can be managed, they don't have any known cure. Today millions of people suffer from these diseases, around 2 million of whom have multiple sclerosis, with an average lifespan of around 25 years since the initial diagnosis. Meanwhile, over 3 million people develop type 1 diabetes, which is characterized by non-production of insulin.
In their research, they discovered that it's possible to "turn off" the autoimmune disease by, first, slowing the progress and eventually changing the characteristics of the immune cells from being aggressive to protective.
This process, which is very similar to the desensitization used for allergic sufferers, was tested using mice. They looked painstakingly into the makeup and reaction of the immune cells while the proteins that they were trained to attack are slowly gradually introduced.
The scientists then identified how specific proteins and genes reacted after the therapy. They were able to identify changes in the genetic expressions, which coincided to the change of behavior of the immune cells. They remained vigilant to attacks, as they were designed to be, yet they began to ignore body tissues. This therapy approach is currently under a clinic trial lead by Apitope.
For the researchers and the millions of the autoimmune disease sufferers, this study may be the answer they have been waiting for a long time. If harnessed, the therapy may remove patients from expensive drugs that aim to suppress the immune system but with adverse side effects.