Gut Immune Cells Can Kill Inflammation In Multiple Sclerosis
There are some discoveries regarding multiple sclerosis symptomatology.
Researchers from the University of Toronto and UC San Francisco have discovered that the intestine is the source of immune cells that diminish brain inflammation in people who suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS). It seems that the increase in the number of these cells can block inflammation entirely.
Medicalxpress reports that these cells are plasma cells which are white blood cells that originate as B cells in the bone marrow but change the behavior when they’re triggered by microbes in the gut.
After analyzing mice and samples from human MS patients, the experts discovered that the plasma cells that are in the gut and produce “Immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies appear to migrate to the central nervous system and produce an anti-inflammatory effect during MS flare-ups.”
MS is an autoimmune disease which is driven by other types of immune cells which also include B and T cells that attack myelin.
This is the protecting coating that is surrounding the nerve fibers.
The results are explained
According to the latest studies, some drugs that have the ability to target B cells mitigate MS and the ones that target plasma cells are making the disease worse. The current study that we’re addressing in this article explains these results.
“We already knew what was and was not working in the clinic,” says Jen Gommerman, the senior author on the study.
“But here we’ve uncovered the molecular and cellular mechanism at play. It’s a kind of reverse translation approach, which highlights the importance of the gut-brain axis in MS and other autoimmune conditions.”
The results were published online January 3, 2019, in Cell.
The U.S. & Canada have high rates of MS
It’s also important to note that the U.S. and Canada have some of the highest rates of MS in the world and there are about three people in 1,000 who are affected by the disease.
Medicalxpress details the main symptoms of the disease: “fatigue, poor coordination, tingling, organ problems, and cognitive impairment.”
There is no cure for it, but good drugs and quicker diagnosis can improve the overall prognosis.
I have been blogging and posting articles for over eight years, but my passion for writing dates back in 2000. I am especially enthusiastic about technology, science, and health-related issues. When I’m not researching and writing the latest news, I’m either watching sci-fi and horror movies or checking out places worth visiting and building deep memories for later in life. I believe in empathy and continually improving myself.
0 comments