Benefits of early intervention in autoimmune diseases

Date:
September 27, 2021
Source:
Friedrich-Alexander-Universita"t Erlangen-Nu"rnberg
Summary:
Complex autoimmune diseases affecting various organ systems remain
one of the greatest medical challenges in spite of immense advances
in treatment. In particular, the diffuse symptoms at the early
stage of complex autoimmune diseases make it hard to diagnose
the condition early on, which in turn delays treatment. A team of
researchers has now demonstrated that treatment can be extremely
effective if autoimmune diseases are treated as early as possible,
even before the first clinical symptoms appear.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
One example of a complex autoimmune disease is systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE), which predominantly affects women. As the disease progresses, the body's own immune system attacks the skin, blood vessels
and internal organs such as the kidneys. Early intervention is important
to prevent severe organ damage.

Treatment options include suppressing the body's immune system as well as
more targeted therapies, such as removing autoreactive cells. However,
until now it has remained unclear how the timing of the various types
of treatment would affect the later progression of the disease.


==========================================================================
A team of researchers led by Dr. Anja Werner from the Chair of Genetics
at FAU has now investigated this question in more detail. 'Our aim was
to target the misguided immune response as accurately and as early
on as possible,' explains Dr. Werner. 'Many autoimmune diseases are characterised by a loss of self- tolerance years before the actual
onset of the disease, for example with autoantibodies being produced
which may then attack and destroy organs at a later, active stage of
the disease.' Until now, only limited research has been conducted into
whether this early and in some cases temporary loss of self- tolerance
may act as a possible biomarker for the later disease, thereby allowing treatment to be commenced at an extremely early stage. Dr. Werner and
her team have now demonstrated that targeting and temporarily removing
B cells, which are not only involved in producing autoantibodies but
can also influence other cells by presenting self-antigens or using
messenger substances, has a major impact on how the disease progresses.

'We were very surprised to see that early and temporary intervention
using a well-established method of treatment could have such a
dramatic impact on the later progression of the autoimmune disease,'
says Prof. Falk Nimmerjahn, Chair of Genetics. 'It really seems as
if the intervention served to reset the immune system in the treated
animals, not only suppressing the production of autoantibodies but
also by preventing or significantly delaying severe organ damage.' ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Friedrich-Alexander-Universita"t_Erlangen-Nu"rnberg.

Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Anja Werner, Simon Scha"fer, Olga Zaytseva, Heike Albert, Anja Lux,
Jasminka Kristić, Marija Pezer, Gordan Lauc,
Thomas Winkler, Falk Nimmerjahn. Targeting B cells in the
pre-phase of systemic autoimmunity globally interferes with
autoimmune pathology. iScience, 2021; 24 (9): 103076 DOI:
10.1016/j.isci.2021.103076 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210927132044.htm

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