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Our immune system is calibrated to provide us with specific protection shields against harmful diseases, and other conditions too. On being influenced by the excessive active cells and intruder cells, interfering with its physical functions, our immune system is more likely to lose its strength to fight diseases, and as a result it causes a range of autoimmune diseases or different types of leukemia.
Immune cells mostly referred to as T cells can reverse the effects of these defective cells and reinstate the balance through a reprogram technique. With a reprogram technique manipulating the performances of certain immune cells, we can remain unaffected to the prevalence of different diseases, including cancers and psoriasis. This also fosters the development of new treatment options.
This is how the scientists at the Gladstone Institute have expressed about their latest findings. A renowned journal Nature has published about this metabolic mechanism in an elaborate way.
How Much Effective Is the Whole Method Of Reprogramming T Cells?
The whole method of manipulating T cells or immune cells, advocates for the reduction of anti-inflammatory reactions, developed in the immune system through pro-inflammatory genes. So, the inflammation causing factors in the immune system could be curtailed using this modification theory.
On the basis of the findings, there are two types of cells termed as Effector T cells and Regulatory T cells. These two cells play a key role in regulating our whole immune system. The Effector T cells build a shield against the pathogens so as to protect us from the vulnerability to infections, once the immune system gets charged up. The Regulatory T cells on the other hand, restrict further attacks of the pathogens to the healthy parts of our body.
With Regulatory T cells being converted into Effector T cells under the influence of reprogramming technique, a molecule drug appears to be a great precursor in the whole process. So, this method seems to be effective in converting one cell into another cell type.
The conversion methods show promise to find the etiology of the disease, especially auto-immune diseases, making it possible to eradicate the diseases from its root. Say, when effector T cells are charged up excessively in the body in the presence of autoimmune disease, the T cells expose the body to harmful effects. But by converting these Regulatory T cells, the balance of the immune system can be reinstated, followed by the reduction of hyperactivity.
Treatment for Immune-Oncology
Another way, the study is intensifying our hopes against the deadly effects of cancers and tumor related disorders. We can achieve a better outcome for immune-oncology and cancer treatments. The process is ineffective in influencing the cancer cells though; it defies its attacks on the activation of the immune system.
Since cancer cells seem to be stronger to influence Regulatory T cells, they make a room in the immune system for the growth, and hence, the detection becomes quite tough. But, the findings could help us in detecting cancerous cells and destroying them by strengthening the immune system through a conversion of Effector T cells from Regulatory T cells.
More Scopes for Stem Cell Therapies
It also brings a revolutionary milestone for stem cell therapies. With the development of Regulatory T cells, we could reverse the effects of graft-versus-host-disease, and also make our body adjust to the newly-transplanted cells.
With a reprogram technology for immune system, we could defend ourselves from a range of diseases, once which were termed as unavoidable medical cases. Hence, we can live our dream to make a disease-free world in the future.