"Allergy shots" to cure autoimmune disese is in the News again. This time a protein target for MS utoantibodies has been found. When this protein is given in small amounts over time, the MS mouse immune system "learns" to ignore the protein and quits making autoantibodies. The mice get well. Here is the URL:
<http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=18993382&source=genwire>
Below is a sentence taken from the article:
"When they gave injections of the protein to mice with the equivalent of MS, their paralysis was reversed. The protein restored order by suppressing the cellular processes causing the damage. Dr. Steinman speculated that the mechanism is tolerization, similar to the process used in allergy shots when a person with an allergy gets an injection of the protein that is causing problems for the body so it can learn to ignore it."
Allergy shot vaccines have the potential to cure ANY autoimmue disease. The only minor difficulty is identifying the exact protein target of the autoantibodies of that particular disease. However, identifying those proteins under attack is relatively straightforward using an autoimune patients blood serum, a protein microarray, and automated scanning. Once identified the protein would be given as "allergy shots" in increasing concentrations over a number of weeks--in six months no autoimmune disease.
<http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=18993382&source=genwire>
Below is a sentence taken from the article:
"When they gave injections of the protein to mice with the equivalent of MS, their paralysis was reversed. The protein restored order by suppressing the cellular processes causing the damage. Dr. Steinman speculated that the mechanism is tolerization, similar to the process used in allergy shots when a person with an allergy gets an injection of the protein that is causing problems for the body so it can learn to ignore it."
Allergy shot vaccines have the potential to cure ANY autoimmue disease. The only minor difficulty is identifying the exact protein target of the autoantibodies of that particular disease. However, identifying those proteins under attack is relatively straightforward using an autoimune patients blood serum, a protein microarray, and automated scanning. Once identified the protein would be given as "allergy shots" in increasing concentrations over a number of weeks--in six months no autoimmune disease.
When will it happen? Tomorrow if we work together, in fifty years otherwise. So many ways to cure you, to cure me, and to cure my horribly afflicted son; but not a one available for humans. To paraphrase an Anient Mariner, "Cures, cures, everywhere and not a one to use."
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