Futurity

Are gut bacteria behind a dangerous autoimmune disease?

Gut bacteria may be partly to blame for a serious autoimmune disease, antiphospholipid syndrome, that raises the risk of blood clots.
antiphospholipid syndrome - orange petri dish on microscope

Common bacteria that reside in the human gut may be partly to blame for a serious autoimmune disease called antiphospholipid syndrome that frequently affects young women, report researchers.

For their study, the research team focused on cells from patients with the immune system disorder, which raises the risk of blood clots. This chronic condition can lead to lung clots, strokes, heart attacks, and in pregnant women, miscarriages or stillbirths.

Using patient immune cells and antibodies, as well as animal models of the disease, the investigators did several experiments to explore the phenomenon. They found that a common gut bacterium, Roseburia intestinalis, can trigger antiphospholipid syndrome in individuals who have a genetic predisposition.

In those patients, the immune system’s defender T and B cells react to a blood protein involved in clotting, and also to the bacteria, in certain amino acids found in the bacteria. Over time, this ongoing “cross-reactive” response leads to tissue damage and chronic disease.

By identifying a gut bacterium, instead of the immune system, as the target for treatment, the study could lead to new drugs for these patients, according to the scientists.

The research was also the first to show cross-reactivity of gut bacteria in humans with this disease, says senior author Martin Kriegel, assistant professor of immunobiology and of medicine (rheumatology) at the Yale University School of Medicine—a finding that could impact the understanding and treatment of other autoimmune diseases.

The study appears in Cell Host & Microbe. The National Institutes of Health, Yale Rheumatic Diseases Research Core, Women’s Health Research at Yale, O’Brien Center at Yale, Arthritis National Research Foundation, Arthritis Foundation, and Lupus Research Alliance, as well as the American Heart Association and Lupus Research Institute, supported the research.

Source: Yale University

The post Are gut bacteria behind a dangerous autoimmune disease? appeared first on Futurity.

More from Futurity

Futurity4 min read
Building With Straw And Hemp Could Seriously Cut Emissions
Researchers confirm that thermal insulation and heating replacement should be key elements of energy-efficient renovations. They developed a model that uses AI to calculate greenhouse gas emissions and costs and also takes into account uncertainties
Futurity2 min read
Are Nicotine Pouches Safe?
Johns Hopkins behavioral pharmacologist Tory Spindle weighs in on the safety of smoke-free, flavored nicotine pouches, including the brand Zyn, that are popular among young people and are going viral on TikTok. Senator Chuck Schumer recently describe
Futurity3 min read
Your Oral Health Is Connected To Your Mortality
Looking at multiple dental health conditions and behaviors paints a clearer picture of long-term health and mortality, researchers report. People who report having poor oral health are as likely to have negative long-term systemic health outcomes as

Related