Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered a method to eliminate the antibody-producing cells that induce autoimmune conditions. What's more, the method does not affect other aspects of the immunity. This discovery, published online in Science, may improve therapies of antoimmune conditions.
In the study, the team looked as pemphigus vulgaris (PV), a rare chronic blistering skin disease. PV is an autoimmune disease that is caused by antibodies directed against both desmoglein 1 ((Dsg1) and desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) present in desmosomes. The lack of desmosomes reduces the cohesion between keratinocytes in the epidermis, and impairs the skin's barrier function.
Prednisone, rituximab and other drugs for autoimmune disorders can inhibit a big part of the immunity, so the treated patients become more prone to certain infections as well as tumors. Using a mouse model of a deadly autoimmune disorder, the research team showed that the novel method effectively treated this disease. No abvious off-target events was found.
According to the author of the study Aimee S. Payne, the novel technique is able to selectively attack autoimmune cells, leaving the normal immune cells unaffected. In this technique, T cells are engineered to kill target cells. Specifically, it makes use of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). CAR is a man-made target-recognizing recepto, and it can engineered into T cells of patients.
Previously, it has been found that investigational CAR T cell therapies can treat B cell leukemias and lymphomas patients who can not benefit from other treatments.
B cells are a type of immune cells that generate antibodies; they can also lead to autoimmunity. Payne and colleagues studied CAR T cell technology to see whether it could help to combat B cell-related autoimmune conditions. CusAb offers the Dsg1/Dsg3 proteins and Biotin conjugated antibody.
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