Inflammation is a natural response that helps the body fight infections and heal injuries. However, in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, excessive inflammation can cause serious harm. Many medications used to reduce inflammation also weaken the immune system, leaving people vulnerable to infections.
Researchers at Purdue University have found a potential way to control inflammation without compromising the body’s ability to fight infections. Their study focused on a type of white blood cell called neutrophils.
These cells play a key role in the immune system by moving through tissues to destroy harmful pathogens. However, when they migrate too aggressively, they can cause excessive inflammation and damage healthy tissue.
The team discovered that a small genetic molecule, known as miR-199, could help regulate neutrophil movement. miR-199 belongs to a group of molecules called microRNAs, which help control various biological processes. The researchers found that miR-199 reduces neutrophil migration, potentially limiting inflammation without shutting down the immune system.
MicroRNAs are already being tested in clinical trials for cancer and infections, and they are commonly used to study how diseases develop at a molecular level. However, their role in controlling neutrophil movement was not well understood until now.
Using a genetic-screening method, the scientists identified eight microRNAs that can slow neutrophil migration, with miR-199 showing the most significant effect. They found that miR-199 works by directly suppressing an enzyme called cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2).
CDK2 is best known for its role in cell division, but this study revealed that it also plays a part in neutrophil movement. By blocking CDK2, miR-199 helps prevent excessive neutrophil migration, reducing inflammation.
These findings introduce miR-199 and CDK2 as potential targets for new treatments aimed at controlling inflammatory diseases. Unlike current anti-inflammatory drugs, which can weaken the immune system, this approach could selectively reduce harmful inflammation while allowing the immune system to function properly.
The research is still ongoing, and the next step is to understand exactly how CDK2 influences neutrophil movement and inflammation. The study was led by Qing Deng, an assistant professor in Purdue’s Department of Biological Sciences.
If further research confirms these findings, this discovery could lead to safer and more effective treatments for inflammatory diseases.
If you care about health, please read studies that vitamin D can help reduce inflammation, and vitamin K could lower your heart disease risk by a third.
For more health information, please see recent studies about new way to halt excessive inflammation, and results showing foods that could cause inflammation.
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