Scientists find cause of a rare inmmune disease
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have identified a genetic mutation in three unrelated families that causes a rare immune disorder characterized by excessive and impaired immune function.
[quote align=»center» color=»#999999″]Symptoms include immune deficiency cold-induced hives
The study involved 27 people from three separate families who all suffered from an inherited form of cold urticaria, an allergic disease characterized by the formation of itchy, sometimes painful hives, episodes of fainting and, in certain cases, life-threatening reactions in response to cold temperatures.
The mutation discovered occurs in a gene for phospholipase C-gamma2 (PLCG2), an enzyme involved in the activation of immune cells. Identifying the genetic cause of these disorders opens up possibilities for better disease management and potentially a cure for people who may have spent their entire lives debilitated by severe and unexplained symptoms
This is one example in which the allergy symptom have led to a genetic syndrome. The findings suggest that inhibiting PLCG2 activity could be a therapeutic strategy to treat cold-induced hives, autoimmunity and immune deficiency in certain people, but more studies are needed.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases conducts and supports research to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses.
