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Researchers discover beneficial immune response after spinal injury
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Researchers have identified a previously unknown beneficial immune response that occurs after injury to the central nervous system, according to a press release from the University of Virginia Health System.
The immune response may lead to new treatments for brain and spinal cord injuries, help develop tools to predict how patients will respond to treatment and help better treat degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma and Lou Gehrig’s disease.
According to the release, the response occurs independently of the process that prompts the immune system into action. The new process causes immune cells to produce a molecule called interleukin 4, which helps protect the body’s neurons and promote their regeneration, whereas uncontrolled inflammation can destroy them.
The researchers noted that doctors may now want to increase the interleukin 4 response, to boost the protection it provides for spinal cord injuries. A test may be able to determine how well a patient will respond to treatment by developing a test to detect the number of interleukin 4-producing cells present, according to the release.
Currently, there are no effective treatments available that promote neuronal survival or regeneration following a central nervous system injury, the release stated.
Reference: www.healthsystem.virginia.edu.