Thursday March 3, 2022 – Author:
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Mainz researchers have gained new insights into the development of autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis. The uncontrolled activation of T cells plays a role. She can be inhibited.
Researchers at the Institute for Immunology at the University Medical Center Mainz have new insights into the development of autoimmune diseases such as Lupus erythematodes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. The uncontrolled activation of T cells plays a role. But that can be stopped.
Background: At autoimmune diseases The immune system attacks its own body and triggers chronic inflammation. Affected patients often have increased levels of so-called Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs).
T cells convert into TH17 cells
NETs form an important part of the innate immune system, regarding two-thirds of all white blood cells (leukocytes) are neutrophils. NETs represent a network formed from a large number of DNA-bound antimicrobial proteins. The most common protein components of NETs are the so-called histones.
Histones trigger the production of certain messenger substances in a special type of immune cell, the so-called T-cell. These messenger substances signal the T cells to differentiate into TH17 cells, explains first author Dr. Alicia Wilson in a press release.
Activation of T cells promotes autoimmune diseases
In a healthy person, the TH17 cells help fight certain bacterial or fungal infections successfully. Uncontrolled activation of these cells might cause chronic inflammation.
“Among other things, we investigated whether and how the interactions of NET proteins on cells can be effectively prevented. We succeeded in doing this with a drug that was originally developed for the treatment of sepsis. The addition of the histone inhibitor reduced the development of TH17 cells significantly,” explains the head of the Institute of Immunology, Prof. Tobias Bopp.
These new findings from basic research might contribute to the development of new therapies for autoimmune diseases in the long term. The results were published in the journal Nature Communications.
