A parasite's protein may become a new treatment

[seengi]

It is known for years people infected with parasites were less affected by autoimmune diseases or inflammatory diseases. There are a lot of research on that subject. In the past, tests have been carried out on Crohn's disease by giving directly to patients parasite eggs.

This paper is quite interesting : researchers seams to have identified a protein that reproduce the effect of parasitic infection in terms inflammation reduction.

In the international journal Mucosal Immunology of July 15, the team of Prof. Capron demonstrates, step by step, that it is possible to rebalance the immune system through the P28GST protein. The molecule in question is the best known parasite protein. It comes from the worm responsible for schistosomiasis, a relatively severe illness depending on the species involved, affecting hundreds of millions of people around the world, particularly in Africa.


http://www.nature.com/mi/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/mi201562a.html

It's a long shot, but I'll keep an eye on this stuff.

 

[lily3308]

Fascinating,thanks for posting!

 

[mish2575]

Parasites? What kind of parasites? From where?

I'm a bit confused by the vagueness, but intrigued.

 

[xeridea]

First of all this is a study on rats and not humans. So really early stuff. And keep in mind the methods involve artificial induction of colitis, not necessarily a course that human disease follows.

Secondly, if I read the study correctly, it's really about the prophylactic effect imbued on the mice by inoculating them with the P28GST protein expressed by helmynths to evoke a Th2 response. Th2 elicit an anti-inflammatory effect on colon cells.

The bottom line as I see it is that by exposing the host to proteins expressed by helminths may provide a protection against developing IBD in the colon. The study says nothing about someone whose already developed IBD.