Re: Researchers Identify Gene Involved in Autoimmune Disease

[Guest guest]

Thank you ! I was hoping there was a little more

to this article and that they had progressed further

with identifying the gene in humans. Maybe we all will

still be around when they find a cure. Every area of

science is moving so quickly now, I don't know how

research scientists keep up with all the new

developments that impact their research.

--- <Matsumura_Clan@...> wrote:

> Researchers Identify Gene Involved in

> Autoimmune Disease

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Another good news day!!!

> Researchers Identify Gene Involved in Autoimmune Disease

> July 29, 2002, Acurian

>

> Source: University of Virginia Health System

>

>

> Researchers have identified a gene that appears to be a critical factor

> in

> autoimmune disease, according to a study to be published in the July 26, 2002,

> issue of Science. The research, performed by scientists at the University of

> Virginia and the University of Vermont Schools of Medicine and colleagues at

> other universities, might provide a unique view at the molecular defects

> underlying autoimmune disease.

>

> Using molecular techniques to study the genetic material from autoimmune

> disease-susceptible mice, scientists were able to identify a region of the

> mouse

> chromosome, and subsequently a gene, that correlates with autoimmune disease.

> The gene of interest encodes a protein that functions as a receptor for

> histamine, a signaling molecule involved in immune responses.

>

> Autoimmune disease, a disorder that occurs when an affected individual's

> immune system launches attacks on its own tissue confusing itself as a foreign

> invader, is responsible for various disorders such as multiple sclerosis and

> rheumatoid arthritis.

>

> Present therapies for autoimmune disease, which merely suppress the

> affected individual's immune system, necessitate new and more specific

> treatments, said Dr. S. K. Tung, professor of pathology at the

> University of Virginia and co-investigator of the study.

>

> " Utilizing a mouse model to study autoimmune disease will have a

> definite

> impact on the understanding of human autoimmune disease as genes that cause

> disease in mice have been found to be concordant with autoimmune causing genes

> in humans, " Tung said. " The next progression of this study will be to

> understand

> the role of the histamine receptor in autoimmune disease and, more

> importantly,

> to determine whether a parallel set of events occurs in human autoimmune

> disease. "

>

> The research presented in this study hopefully will prove significant >

not

> only for the understanding of autoimmune disease but also for other illnesses.

> " It's becoming clear that the responses and regulatory elements that cause

> autoimmune disease also apply to the body's response to cancer and tissue

> grafts. So if we can understand how autoimmune disease is regulated, then you

> can apply the same knowledge to prevent tissue graft rejection or promote

> cancer

> immunity and improve vaccine effects, " Tung said.

>

>

>

>

> Visit www.acurian.com for more information on new and emerging medical

> therapies and clinical trial enrollment opportunities in your condition(s) of

> interest. Sign up for customized email updates and visit our one-of-a-kind

> Quick

> Results Center at www.acurian.com/patient

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info , I will definately check out the sites

mentioned.

Huggs

Lena

> Researchers Identify Gene Involved in Autoimmune Disease

> July 29, 2002, Acurian

>

> Source: University of Virginia Health System

>

>

> Researchers have identified a gene that appears to be a

critical factor in

> autoimmune disease, according to a study to be published in the

July 26, 2002,

> issue of Science. The research, performed by scientists at the

University of

> Virginia and the University of Vermont Schools of Medicine and

colleagues at

> other universities, might provide a unique view at the molecular

defects

> underlying autoimmune disease.

>

> Using molecular techniques to study the genetic material from

autoimmune

> disease-susceptible mice, scientists were able to identify a region

of the mouse

> chromosome, and subsequently a gene, that correlates with

autoimmune disease.

> The gene of interest encodes a protein that functions as a receptor

for

> histamine, a signaling molecule involved in immune responses.

>

> Autoimmune disease, a disorder that occurs when an affected

individual's

> immune system launches attacks on its own tissue confusing itself

as a foreign

> invader, is responsible for various disorders such as multiple

sclerosis and

> rheumatoid arthritis.

>

> Present therapies for autoimmune disease, which merely

suppress the

> affected individual's immune system, necessitate new and more

specific

> treatments, said Dr. S. K. Tung, professor of pathology at

the

> University of Virginia and co-investigator of the study.

>

> " Utilizing a mouse model to study autoimmune disease will

have a definite

> impact on the understanding of human autoimmune disease as genes

that cause

> disease in mice have been found to be concordant with autoimmune

causing genes

> in humans, " Tung said. " The next progression of this study will be

to understand

> the role of the histamine receptor in autoimmune disease and, more

importantly,

> to determine whether a parallel set of events occurs in human

autoimmune

> disease. "

>

> The research presented in this study hopefully will prove

significant not

> only for the understanding of autoimmune disease but also for other

illnesses.

> " It's becoming clear that the responses and regulatory elements

that cause

> autoimmune disease also apply to the body's response to cancer and

tissue

> grafts. So if we can understand how autoimmune disease is

regulated, then you

> can apply the same knowledge to prevent tissue graft rejection or

promote cancer

> immunity and improve vaccine effects, " Tung said.

>

>

>

>

> Visit www.acurian.com for more information on new and

emerging medical

> therapies and clinical trial enrollment opportunities in your

condition(s) of

> interest. Sign up for customized email updates and visit our one-of-

a-kind Quick

> Results Center at www.acurian.com/patient