Discovery of new protein 'switch' could prevent death from sepsis: Study
| Feb 26, 2019, 14:22 IST
Scientists have discovered a new protein "switch" that could prevent the progression of sepsis or blood-poisoning.
Sepsis is an inflammatory disease that occurs when the body's response to infection causes it to injure its own tissues and organs. It is very hard to diagnose. Currently, infection control and organ-function support are the only methods of managing the disease. Close to 14 million die from the life-threatening disease annually.
Researchers made the new discovery while studying a protein called ABCF1. "Sepsis triggers an uncontrolled chain-reaction of inflammation in the body, leading to tissue damage, organ failure, and death," Hitesh Arora, co-lead author of the study who conducted this research as a PhD student at the Michael Smith Laboratories at UBC, told a news portal. Adding, "We have discovered that the enzyme ABCF1 acts as a 'switch' at the molecular level that can stop this inflammatory chain-reaction and dampen the potential damage."
The findings could lead to the development of better treatments for acute inflammatory diseases. "Our study may lead to therapies that overcome inflammatory and auto immune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis," senior author Wilfred Jefferies, a professor at the Michael Smith Laboratories and departments of medical genetics and microbiology and immunology at UBC, told a news portal.
The study was published recently in journal Immunity.
Sepsis is an inflammatory disease that occurs when the body's response to infection causes it to injure its own tissues and organs. It is very hard to diagnose. Currently, infection control and organ-function support are the only methods of managing the disease. Close to 14 million die from the life-threatening disease annually.
Researchers made the new discovery while studying a protein called ABCF1. "Sepsis triggers an uncontrolled chain-reaction of inflammation in the body, leading to tissue damage, organ failure, and death," Hitesh Arora, co-lead author of the study who conducted this research as a PhD student at the Michael Smith Laboratories at UBC, told a news portal. Adding, "We have discovered that the enzyme ABCF1 acts as a 'switch' at the molecular level that can stop this inflammatory chain-reaction and dampen the potential damage."
The findings could lead to the development of better treatments for acute inflammatory diseases. "Our study may lead to therapies that overcome inflammatory and auto immune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis," senior author Wilfred Jefferies, a professor at the Michael Smith Laboratories and departments of medical genetics and microbiology and immunology at UBC, told a news portal.
The study was published recently in journal Immunity.