Explore
Settings

Settings

×

Reading Mode

Adjust the reading mode to suit your reading needs.

Font Size

Fix the font size to suit your reading preferences

Language

Select the language of your choice. NewsX reports are available in 11 global languages.
we-woman

Revealed: How Inflammation Messes With Your Cells’ Communication

Researchers have made great strides in understanding how cells interact during inflammation. The study, just published in PNAS, was undertaken over a five-year period and focused on the chemicals that allow cells to function during inflammation, particularly in the central nervous system, where disorders such as multiple sclerosis develop.

Revealed: How Inflammation Messes With Your Cells’ Communication

Researchers have made great strides in understanding how cells interact during inflammation. The study, just published in PNAS, was undertaken over a five-year period and focused on the chemicals that allow cells to function during inflammation, particularly in the central nervous system, where disorders such as multiple sclerosis develop.

The research was done by Indiana University School of Medicine.

Key Findings and Significance

“Communication is key in any relationship, even at the level of cells that cause disease,” said Mark Kaplan, PhD, chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the IU School of Medicine and senior author of the study. “The molecules that allow cells to function in inflammation are essentially text messages sent between or within cells. We have been studying what cells get those text messages and how they respond in an inflammatory environment in the central nervous system that leads to diseases like multiple sclerosis.”

READ MORE: What Is The EEE Virus? US State on High Alert for Rare Mosquito-Borne Disease with 33% Fatality Rate

Discovery of STAT4’s Role

The signaling molecule is called STAT4 and was previously believed to primarily function in T cells, which are part of the immune system. But the team found it plays a crucial role in dendritic cells, a specific cell type that responds to extracellular text messages IL-12 and IL-23.

Implications for Treatment

“Our work identified how STAT4 might be a viable target for treating inflammatory disease in the central nervous system,” Kaplan said. “By understanding the communication between cells and the role of STAT4, we can potentially develop therapeutics to modify immune responses and alleviate the symptoms of diseases like multiple sclerosis.”

Research Team and Contributions

The lead author of the study, Nada Alakhras, PhD, is a recent IU School of Medicine graduate who now works at Eli Lilly and Company. Other authors include Wenwu Zhang, Nicolas Barros, James Ropa, Raj Priya, and Frank Yang, all from IU, and Anchal Sharma of Eli Lilly and Company.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Newsx staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

ALSO READ: Breakthrough: New Gene Linked To Huntington’s Disease Progression


mail logo

Subscribe to receive the day's headlines from NewsX straight in your inbox