Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have discovered a new immune protein influencing autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis.
In autoimmune diseases like lupus, the body's immune system overreacts and attacks healthy tissue, instead of just eliminating germs. Lupus can affect lots of different areas of the body including the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart and the brain. The symptoms of lupus vary from person to person and can include fever, kidney trouble, feeling tired all the time and rashes. Because the effects of the disease vary so much from patient to patient, it is important to develop personalized therapies to provide people with treatment that is right for them. The researchers behind the new study think a new mutation of an immune protein called an "Fc receptor" may help scientists develop more personalized autoimmune disease treatments. The Fc receptor regulates the production of antibodies that attack bacteria in our bodies. Previously, scientists thought that Fc receptors could only shut down antibody production, but about 15% of the world's population have this new kind of Fc receptor that can also activate antibody production. In people with lupus, this means that the Fc receptor would create too many antibodies, resulting in an attack on healthy cells. Being able to identify this receptor mutation in patients could help doctors prescribe treatments specific to that patient, and it could also provide early warning signs of autoimmune disease. Fc receptors as personalized treatment and screening tool Dr. Robert Kimberly, director of the UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science, who co-authored the paper, says: "This new finding could play a significant role in the way companies design treatments for autoimmune diseases, in a more targeted approach. Now efforts can be made to target the individuals who will benefit from the treatments, based on the gene mutation." The efficacy of treatments for autoimmune disease is often determined by the genes that "fine-tune" the immune system of an individual. Dr. Kimberley and his team believe that identifying this new gene in patients will not only lead to faster, more appropriate treatment for patients, but will also potentially save time and money for the pharmaceutical industry.
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