New Study Finds Surprising Link Between Immune and Metabolism Disorders
A recent study has discovered that inherited immune and metabolism disorders are more alike than previously believed. This new information could help improve care for patients with these illnesses by identifying a novel set of metabolic genes crucial for immune system T cell activity. The study was published in the journal Science Immunology.
Key Findings
The research focused on genes causing inborn errors of immunity, which affect immune system function, and inborn errors of metabolism, which impact how cells convert food into energy. Dr. Andrew Patterson, who led the study at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, explained, “There had previously been only a small number of genes that were on both lists of diseases, but we found that many more have overlap.”
The findings suggest that patients with metabolic disorders may also have immune defects, and vice versa. Dr. Jeffrey Rathmell, director of the Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, noted, “These connections might point to different therapies. Rather than different categories, these diseases are part of a continuum.”
Research Methods
The team used CRISPR gene-editing to screen genes for immune and metabolic defects. They analyzed one example from each set to understand the mechanistic impact. Dr. Rathmell’s team aims to discover how metabolic pathways regulate T cell function to develop targeted therapies for immune-mediated disorders.
Dr. Patterson, now an assistant professor at the University of Louisville, stated, “What we’ve done is lay the foundation for further investigation. The two examples we studied in detail point to new biology and new mechanisms.”
Contributors
Important contributors to the study included Dr. Vivian Gama and Dr. Janet Markle from Vanderbilt University.
Doubts Revealed
immune system -: The immune system is like the body’s defense army. It helps protect us from germs and illnesses.
metabolism -: Metabolism is how our body uses food to get energy and grow. It’s like the engine that keeps us running.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center -: This is a big hospital and research center in the USA where doctors and scientists study diseases and how to treat them.
T cell -: T cells are special soldiers in our immune system that help fight off infections and keep us healthy.
CRISPR gene-editing -: CRISPR is a tool that scientists use to change genes in our DNA. It’s like cutting and pasting parts of a book to fix mistakes.
Science Immunology -: This is a magazine where scientists share their new discoveries about the immune system.
inborn errors of immunometabolism -: These are diseases that people are born with, where both their immune system and metabolism don’t work properly.