Common Links Serve
as Research Clues Tere are some clear links between auto- immune diseases, such as the genetic pre- disposition that runs in families. “Some- one with rheumatoid arthritis may have a sister with celiac disease, for example, and one individual may suffer from multiple autoimmune conditions. We can learn from these common genetic links,” says Buckner. Tese common links can serve as important clues. For example, Buckner says they are able to demonstrate changes in T cells in diabetes and MS that are the same, which might lead to common treat- ments for the two conditions. While the process from basic scien-
tific discovery to development of effective treatment can be slow, there are some concrete breakthroughs autoimmune researchers are excited about, having demonstrated ability to both prevent and delay disease. Citing a recent clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, “Tey have demonstrated in kids at high risk for developing Type 1
for decades. “Te only forms of treat- ment have been very immune-suppressive medications that shut down the immune response. None of these medications are specific, so in shutting down the im- mune response to treat lupus, they in turn interfere with the body’s ability to fight off infection and cancer.” Researchers are now honing in on single cells from biopsies that indicate which proteins are abnormal, thereby helping develop more selective therapies, she says. Seeing progress in the lab is one
diabetes the ability to delay onset for at least two years. It’s an incredibly exciting finding,” says Buckner. Mackay is hopeful about advances in
basic science addressing specific immune system abnormalities linked to inflamma- tory problems. “Lupus is very challenging to diagnose and treat because it can affect every system in the body,” says Mackay, whose research team has focused on lupus
thing; seeing it in the waiting room is another, and that’s where autoimmune sci- entists and clinicians are really beginning to note a difference. “I’ve seen patients for 25 years, and when we started, we had very few options in my clinic, which was full of wheelchairs,” says Buckner. “In the last 20 years, we have seen an explosion in research and available treatments. I don’t have wheelchairs in my office anymore.”
Connect with Washington, D.C. freelance writer April Tompson at
AprilWrites.com.
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