Autoimmune experiments: Train T-cells to move from attacking the body to protecting it.

For most people, the role of the immune system is to protect us from bacteria, viruses and other harmful pathogens.but for people with autoimmune diseases, the immune system treats other healthy cells and tissues in the body as foreign objects and attacks them.although some immune system diseases, such as allergies, are sometimes treatable, autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) are still incurable.in a recent study published in cell reports, a team from the University of Birmingham, UK, found that immune cells can be "trained" to prevent them from mistakenly recognizing their own proteins.when the body reacts with autoantigens and starts to attack other healthy cells in the body, it will lead to autoimmune diseases.the immune homeostasis of T cells is maintained by a tightly regulated signal transduction and transcription network.in multiple sclerosis, immune T cells attack proteins in myelin sheath, which is the fatty insulating tissue surrounding the nerve, leading to the loss of nerve control over muscle.a multidisciplinary team led by Professor David wraith of the Institute of immunology and immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, and Professor Peter Cockerill of the Institute of cancer and genomics, further studied how this process works in the T cells that make up the immune system.through comprehensive analysis of signal transduction, epigenetic modification and gene expression, the researchers found that these T cells can be "retrained": over time, the reactivity of these T cells decreased after repeated exposure to gradually increasing doses of myelin basic protein.this prevents them from attacking the body's own cells.in the case of multiple sclerosis, immune cells are reprogrammed to recognize proteins as part of themselves, thus preventing T cells from attacking myelin basic protein (MBP).Image Source: the first stage of research led by Professor cell reports Wraith showed that T cells were induced to recognize MBP by repeatedly exposing them to highly soluble protein fragments (white blood cells would react to them). By repeatedly giving the same MBP fragment, the immune system could learn to distinguish between its own proteins and foreign proteins.this process is similar to immunotherapy used in the past to desensitize people to allergens.the results showed that the signal of MBP recognizing T cell attacking protein gradually weakened, and finally changed from attack to protection.in the second phase of the study, the gene regulatory team led by Professor Peter Cockerill continued to study MBP responsive T cells to show how genes are recombined in response to this immunotherapy, fundamentally reprogramming the immune system.repeated exposure to the same protein fragment triggers a response that turns on genes that silence rather than activate the immune system.these cells are then exposed to memory embedded genes in MBP, preventing them from initiating immune responses.when T cells are tolerant, other genes that activate the immune system remain silent.Professor David Wraith said: "these findings have important implications for many patients with autoimmune diseases that are currently difficult to treat."Professor Peter Cockerill said:" this study gives us an understanding of the basis of immunotherapy for desensitizing the immune system.we need longer-term clinical trials to determine whether antigen-specific immunotherapy can bring lasting effects.if it is successful, this study will be the first to define the actual mechanism of how T cells can tolerate the body's own proteins.it will lead to more progress in the treatment of autoimmune diseases."link: the official account was hosted by the microbiological resources and big data center of the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences." 2019, Wen Wen TOP101. reversed the type 2 diabetes, Daniel issued a message: type 2 diabetes is a simple disease, weight loss or reverse the disease! 2. Just now, science released ten scientific breakthroughs in 2019! 3. Science! Broccoli awakens anti-tumor gene! Chinese medical doctor's letter to his father published in Chinese by lancet! Your "honey", my "arsenic..." 6. Drinking, especially those who blush, may face a higher risk of dementia. 7. Nature weighs heavily! The first creature to completely synthesize and completely change the DNA code was born. 8. This is not a big hazelnut! Science has published a new oral insulin, or will replace the traditional injection 9. Science to prevent baldness: start from never losing hair... 10. Can changing sperm speed affect the sex of offspring?