DOWNSTATE RESEARCHERS STUDY NEW WAY TO FIGHT LUPUS
Nov 16, 2006
A New Molecule May Inhibit Excessive Immune Response
Researchers at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University have received a grant from
the Lupus Research Institute to study whether a new means of manipulating the immune
system is an effective treatment against lupus.
"Lupus is a life-threatening disease in which immune cells in the blood that fight
infection somehow become abnormal and attack the body, causing tissue damage, especially
in the kidney,” says Christopher A. J. Roman, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology
and immunology.
“We discovered that molecules called TFE3 and TFEB control the ability of immune system
cells to manufacture CD40L, a molecule that is critical for fighting infection. In
lupus, immune cells make CD40L at the wrong times, and this causes the immune system
to behave abnormally. We believe TFE3 and TFEB may be involved in this abnormality
and want to know whether lupus could potentially be treated by inactivating TFE3 and
TFEB."
In this lupus study, the Downstate researchers are using an inhibitory molecule that
can block the binding of the transcription factors TFE3 and TFEB to DNA, which their
previous studies showed effectively slows the creation of CD40L. They will test
whether this strategy can be used to suppress the body’s immune response when it is
not wanted or is inappropriate. This strategy, developed at Downstate, is potentially
more specific and more effective than other techniques for inhibiting CD40L.
Inhibiting CD40L shows promise in the treatment of a number of autoimmune and inflammatory
diseases. In addition to lupus, the treatment may prove useful against rheumatoid
arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, allergy, and Alzheimer’s
disease, as well as in preventing organ transplant rejection.
Ellen M. Ginzler, MD, MPH, professor of medicine and chief of rheumatology at Downstate
and an internationally known researcher on lupus, is a key collaborator on this study.
The $300,000 grant was secured with the assistance of the SUNY- Research Foundation.
Through its five Technology Transfer Offices, the Research Foundation identifies and
protects SUNY intellectual capital, helps faculty market their inventions, and creates
partnerships with industry to further research and commercialize SUNY discoveries,
innovations and materials for the public good.
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is the only academic medical center in Brooklyn,
Queens, or Staten Island, comprised of a College of Medicine, Colleges of Nursing
and Health Related Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, and the 374-bed University
Hospital at Downstate.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.