The discovery of a new regulator affecting immune cells could lead to new treatments to reduce inflammation in diseases including arthritis and severe COVID 19. A large research collaboration, led by the University of Exeter's MRC Center for Medical Mycology, has focused on how sense their environment. This activity triggers responses which are finely balanced, to protect against disease and infection, and to reduce cell-damaging inflammation.
The research, titled " " published in , looked at the behavior of a receptor known as MICL, and its role in both preventing inflammation and protecting against infection. Lead author Dr. Mariano Malamud, from the University of Exeter, said, "We've discovered that MICL is a key receptor that causes severe inflammatory disease when its functions are altered.
This opens the door to the development of new therapies that target MICL, which could reduce the severity of inflammatory diseases and protect against infection." Most receptors in the immune system sense their environment and send signals to cells, telling them to activate in response to changes such as infection or tissue damage. The team's work has revealed that MICL does the opposite, inhibiting the activation of the cell.
This is an important function, as over-activation of cells can lead to cell damage and the development of auto-immune diseases if left unchecked. The team went on to demonstrate the essential role that MICL plays in regulating inflammation in severe COVID 19, as.