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Immune cells attack occurs when the body’s tissue and organs are treated as invaders. A new Yale-led study describes how a protein found in bacteria causes an auto-immune response. This may produce therapies targeting the bacteria rather than the immune system and personalized treatment for autoimmune disease.
To deepen understanding of the autoimmune response generally, a Research team lead by co-senior authors Martin Kriegel and Sandra Wolin, focused on a protein, Ro60, that has been found in lupus patients even before they developed symptoms. The protein induces the immune response and production of antibodies.
In the study, the research team tested blood and tissue samples from patients with systemic lupus and identified Ro60 in bacteria from different parts of the body, including the mouth, skin, and gut. The researchers theorized that the bacteria triggers an autoimmune response, which spreads to affect healthy tissue. This leads to full-blown autoimmunity and lupus.
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