Drugs/Therapy

New Research Raises Hopes of MS Cure

By Peter R | Update Date: Sep 03, 2014 05:31 PM EDT

Raising hopes of cure for autoimmune disorders like Multiple Sclerosis, a new study has found a way to instill body protection agenda into rogue immune system cells that attack body tissue.

A research team at the University of Bristol in UK has emulated a known method of treating allergies, allergic desensitization, in treating autoimmune disorders, where the body's immune system attacks harmless proteins that have vital roles to play. The myelin sheath around the nerve, largely comprising protein, is attacked in case of Multiple Sclerosis. By injecting fragments of the protein into the body, the researchers say the body can be desensitized to them.

"In autoimmune diseases the immune systems sees little protein fragments in your own tissue as foreign invaders and starts attacking them. What we have found is that by synthesizing those proteins in a soluble form we can desensitize the immune system by giving an escalating dose," The Telegraph quoted Dr Bronwen Burton, one of the researchers.

This selective immunotherapy, researchers say, has allows to see changes in the gene expression within the attacker cells, revealing how they can be retrained to protect the body, Daily Mail reported.

The new findings have major implications for people suffering with MS, Type 1 diabetes and a host of other autoimmune disorders. Over 2 million people around the globe are said to be affected by MS alone. The current mode of treatment is to suppress the immune system, which in turns makes the body susceptible to opportunistic infections.

In a statement, lead researcher Prof David Wraith said, "Insight into the molecular basis of antigen-specific immunotherapy opens up exciting new opportunities to enhance the selectivity of the approach while providing valuable markers with which to measure effective treatment. These findings have important implications for the many patients suffering from autoimmune conditions that are currently difficult to treat."

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