How immunotherapy may treat multiple sclerosis

Conclusion This mouse study using a mouse model of MS has found that the dose-escalation protocol is extremely important for inducing tolerance, in this case a small fragment of myelin basic protein. Escalation dose immunotherapy minimised immune system activation and proliferation during the early stages, and caused changes in gene expression that caused the attacking immune cells to express regulatory genes and to become suppressive. The researchers hope that some of the changes in immune cells and in gene expression that they have identified can be used in clinical studies of tolerance-inducing treatments for autoimmune disorders to determine whether therapy is working. Analysis by Bazian. Edited by NHS Choices. Follow Behind the Headlines on Twitter. Join the Healthy Evidence forum. Links To The Headlines Breakthrough hope for MS treatment as scientists discover how to 'switch off' autoimmune disease. Mail Online, September 4 2014 Could a cure for MS and diabetes be on the way? Daily Express, September 4 2014 Links To Science Burton BR, Britton GJ, Fang H, et al. Sequential transcriptional changes dictate safe and effective antigen-specific immunotherapy. Nature Communications. Published online September 3 2014
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Genetics/stem cells Medical practice Source Type: news