Researchers have found a new way to treat the inflammation
involved in chronic diseases.
Researchers have found a new way to treat the inflammation
involved in chronic diseases such as psoriasis, asthma and HIV. A group of
transmitter substances (cytokines) in the immune system (IL-1 family), has been
shown to play an important role in many of these diseases by regulating the
body’s immune responses.
Professor Charles A Dinarello from the University of
Colorado Denver (who discovered the important cytokine IL-1(-β), which plays an
important role in countless diseases), in collaboration with researchers from
Aarhus University Hospital and Aarhus University in Denmark, have investigated
a more efficient way of reducing the effect of the IL-1 family and improve
treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.
In this study, the researchers investigated if a receptor
(IL-1R3), which is involved in the signaling of six different inflammatory cytokines
in the IL-1 family, could be a possible target in the treatment of chronic
inflammatory disease.
Using an antibody to block the effect of IL-1R3, it was
possible for the researchers to investigate the effects in both studies on
cells and mice.
The researchers then studied some of the consequences of
blocking this receptor on the immune system. They specifically studied the
effect of blocking IL-1R3 in mice with either gout, acute allergic inflammation
(asthma) or psoriasis.
The experiments showed that it was possible to effectively block the receptor and reduce manifestation of diseases, which underlines the potentials in our new approach, said Jesper Falkesgaard Højen, MD, PhD.