The History of Searching for a Cure
In 2001, immunologist Pere Santamaria, came up with an innovative idea while conducting diabetes research on mice. He used iron oxide nanoparticles to track immune cells, then developed an idea to use them as a therapy to target, neutralize, and even kill the cells responsible for causing diabetes. A January article published in the journal Nature notes that Mr. Santamaria’s study with mice found “both the control and the experimental nanoparticles reversed diabetes symptoms.”Now, over twenty years later, Mr. Santamaria’s revolutionary therapy will soon be tested on humans for the first time.
All of these methods have the potential to revolutionize the way autoimmune diseases are treated. Most current therapies suppress the entire immune system, rather than specifically targeting the cells causing the autoimmune response. While current therapies can alleviate symptoms, they often come with a higher risk of infections and cancers.
How Do Autoimmune Diseases Affect the Body?
Autoimmune diseases are a result of immune system malfunction. Normal immune systems can tell the difference between healthy cells and foreign ones. However, if the immune system is impaired, it mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues, or organs. This harmful mechanism manifests in different ways depending on the autoimmune disease. For example, in multiple sclerosis, the body attacks the myelin sheath surrounding nerves, while in celiac disease, gluten triggers the immune system to attack the lining of the intestine.“Autoimmune diseases are the immune system’s inability to distinguish between foreign and self-antigens, which leads to an attack on the body’s own tissues. If proteins in a pathogen (like a virus or bacteria) closely resemble the body’s own proteins, when the immune system targets these pathogen proteins, it can mistakenly attack the body’s similar proteins, potentially triggering an autoimmune response,” Dr. Gupta explains.
Autoimmune diseases can be serious and even life-threatening. According to Dr, Gupta, “They can cause severe organ damage, significant systemic inflammation, or are compounded by infections due to compromised immunity.”
Exploring Potential Pathways to Tolerance
Deciding which approach to curing autoimmune disease is best for humans is one of the main challenges scientists are facing. Researchers are exploring ways to restore the body’s tolerance to specific antigens in the hope that autoimmune diseases can be treated without compromising the immune system’s ability to fight off real threats.Mr. Santamaria believes he has found a mechanism that can function as a type of “master switch,” effectively turning off the autoimmune response while leaving the immune system uncompromised. During his experiments, Mr. Santamaria was able to direct tagged antigen molecules to the liver, where rogue autoimmune cells can be deleted or deactivated.
Researchers are exploring three main pathways to tolerance:
Hope for the Future
While Mr. Santamaria’s strategy has yet to be tested on human subjects, the first trial is set to begin this year. Other clinical trials on humans are poised to begin this year in additional laboratories, as well.There is still much to learn. Cellular therapies carry several challenges, including high costs and possible side effects. It can be difficult to determine the right dosage of cells, considering these cells begin to replicate within the body immediately upon introduction and cannot easily be removed.
Still, scientists are closer than they have ever been to finding a cure for autoimmune disease and the initiation of human clinical trials this year will hopefully bridge the gap between possibility and reality.
