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Virus' Role in Autoimmune Diseases
Virus' Role in Autoimmune Diseases -- Posted by doe on 11-03-04 00:02
November 02, 2004 06:00 AM US Eastern Timezone
La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology Scientists Make Important Finding
on Virus' Role in Autoimmune Diseases
BIOWIRE2K
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 2, 2004--
Research Could Lead to Future Treatment Advances for Diabetes and Other
Autoimmune Diseases
Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology have added a
significant milestone to scientific understanding of the role viruses play in
the development of autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes. Matthias von Herrath,
M.D., and a team of scientists found that while viruses alone do not initiate
autoimmune diseases, they can accelerate their development when paired with a
genetic predisposition to autoimmune diseases.
This discovery, based on controlled laboratory studies of mice, represents the
first demonstration in a living organism of the ability of viruses to increase
the likelihood of the development of autoimmune diseases. The finding is an
important advance and could help in the future development of therapies for the
treatment or prevention of diabetes and other autoimmune illnesses.
The finding was published Monday in a scientific paper in the Journal of
Clinical Investigation entitled, "A Viral Epitope that Mimics a Self Antigen
Can Accelerate But Not Initiate Autoimmune Diabetes." In autoimmune diseases,
the immune system, which normally wards off invading viruses and bacteria,
instead mistakenly attacks normal body tissues, leading to illness. Dr. von
Herrath's study dealt with the autoimmune form or type I diabetes, but the
findings can also be applied to other autoimmune diseases. Examples of other
autoimmune diseases include lupus or SLE, multiple sclerosis (MS), and
rheumatoid arthritis.
Dr. von Herrath's research focused on a concept known as "molecular mimicry" or
cross-reactivity. This occurs when the body's immune system recognizes not only
part of a virus, but also a molecule in the body that looks very similar, and
begins attacking cells that have that molecule assuming it is an actual virus.
"We knew from evidence that cross-reactivity is common, but what we didn't know
was whether that could actually accelerate the development of autoimmune
disease in some individuals," said Dr. von Herrath, adding that it has long
been theorized to play a role. "We found that it is unlikely that this
cross-reactivity causes disease in someone who is not genetically predisposed
to an autoimmune disease," he said. "However, if you superimpose
cross-reactivity to a virus onto a genetic predisposition to an autoimmune
disease, then it is much more likely that you'll develop the disease, and it
happens faster."
Dr. von Herrath said the finding opens the door to further research to find
associations between certain viruses and certain genetic predispositions to
autoimmune diseases. He said this could shape large scale clinical studies of
people with existing autoimmune diseases, to identify -- through their medical
histories -- which viruses, when paired with which genetic predispositions, can
cause certain autoimmune diseases to erupt.
Mitchell Kronenberg, Ph.D., LIAI President and Scientific Director, said the
finding has major implications for future advancements in protecting people
from autoimmune diseases. "By building on this research, we may one day be able
to advise people genetically predisposed to multiple sclerosis, for instance,
to avoid certain viruses or bacteria or to be vaccinated against them in order
to prevent actual development of autoimmune disease," he said.
About LIAI
Founded in 1988, the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology is a
non-profit medical research center dedicated to increasing knowledge and
improving human health through studies of the immune system. Researchers at the
institute carry out studies designed to understand and lead to the development
of cures for cancer, allergy and asthma, infectious diseases, and autoimmune
diseases such as diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis. The
institute's research staff includes over 100 Ph.Ds.
Contacts
Bonnie Ward Public Relations
Bonnie Ward, 858-558-3588
contact@liai.org
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