Wednesday, June 21, 2006

The molecular mechanism of a diabetes vaccine revealed

Awesome news for diabetics. I wonder if p277 (or the heat shock protein known as HSP60) will help other autoimmune diseases. Dry-eye syndrome?
Autoimmune diseases occur when certain T cells in the immune system attack the body's own cells and tissues. The scientists discovered that p277 directs the activity of the immune system in two ways. First, the p277 t-cell2.jpgpeptide steps up the activities of a different type of T cell that regulates the amount of potentially harmful T cells available. In addition, T cells treated with p277 cause the delinquent T cells to secrete anti-inflammatory substances instead of the inflammation-causing ones that they usually make which lead to autoimmune disease. This double action of the peptide weakens the damaging activities of the immune response further. The scientists also showed that in order to activate this response, p277 must be bound to the receptor TLR-2, which is found on the cell walls of the regulatory T cells.

"These findings are important, as it means that by identifying the molecular activity of p277 with such precision, we can copy nature's own system in regulating the immune system and therefore, help to boost the immune system in preventing the destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic cells," says Cohen." - more

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