This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Another day, another "switch".

http://topnews.us/content/232704-immune ... scientists

Researchers at the Imperial College of London have stumbled upon a protein enzyme that also plays the role of a switch in some specific types of white blood cells. The regulator basically helps in improving and stopping inflammation levels in a person's blood.

Scientists are hoping that the new discovery will help in making way for the development of new treatments. It will specifically help in handling diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, which results in WBCs causing inflammation to a person.

Macrophages are capable of changing the behaviour of other cells by releasing various chemical signals. Meanwhile, the protein, which has been discovered, is known as IRF5, which is known to promote or limit inflammation of macrophages.

It has been suggested in the report that painful conditions like lupus, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis can be taken care of by limiting the development of macrophages in IRF5. Apart from that people with a poor immune system will also benefit from this discovery as a boost in the protein will help in improving their immunity to diseases and infections.

One of the Scientists from the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Imperial College of London, Irina Udalova informed that disease can alter the structure of a person's genes, which can also have an effect on the, on and off switches.

I may be wrong but I believe I saw this in another thread where it was suggested that this is low-oxygen related..