Genetic Study Offers Insight Into Immune System

Main Category: Genetics
Also Included In: Immune System / Vaccines
Article Date: 21 Apr 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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Results of a genetic study offering new insights into the way that genes interact in the immune system have been published in the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

Scientists previously thought that the growth of immune cells called macrophages was regulated by a few "master regulator" genes that controlled numerous processes involved in cell growth and development by giving instructions to other genes within the cell.

This new research now shows that there are actually hundreds of regulator genes and shines some light on how these genes "speak" to each other to influence how these immune cells behave.

Dr Doug Brown, Research Manager at the MS Society remarked, "This study opens up a whole new way of thinking about how our immune cells work and now we can work towards further understanding how these immune cells behave in multiple sclerosis."

He added, "This is a good example of how biomedical research can contribute to our knowledge and understanding of very complex situations and hopefully this will lead to new therapeutic targets for multiple sclerosis in the long run."

Source
Multiple Sclerosis Society