Chronic inflammation is a long-term, harmful reaction by the body’s immune system that can lead to serious illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes, and cancer.
It can be triggered by aging, stress, or harmful environmental exposures, which keep the immune system constantly active and cause damage over time.
Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have made a breakthrough discovery. They found a molecular ‘switch’ that can control the immune system processes behind chronic inflammation. This could lead to new treatments that may stop or even reverse many age-related diseases.
The study, led by Danica Chen and published in the journal Cell Metabolism, focused on a group of immune proteins called the NLRP3 inflammasome.
This inflammasome works like a guard, detecting threats and triggering inflammation to fight infections or injuries. But if it becomes overactive, it can cause chronic inflammation and contribute to diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cancer, diabetes, and dementia.
Researchers discovered that the NLRP3 inflammasome can be turned off through a process called deacetylation. A protein called SIRT2 carries out this process by removing a small chemical fragment from the inflammasome, effectively switching it off and preventing unnecessary inflammation.
To study the effects, scientists experimented on mice and immune cells. Mice that lacked SIRT2 developed more inflammation as they aged. By the age of two, they showed worse inflammation and higher insulin resistance — an early sign of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
In another experiment, older mice had their immune systems destroyed with radiation and rebuilt with blood stem cells that made either the inactive or active form of the NLRP3 inflammasome. The mice given the inactive form showed big improvements in insulin resistance within six weeks.
This suggests that switching off the NLRP3 inflammasome might not only prevent chronic inflammation but could also reverse the progress of metabolic diseases. If scientists can develop drugs to control this switch, they could treat many chronic illnesses that are now hard to manage.
The research also raises questions about the timing of treatments for diseases like Alzheimer’s. Some clinical trials may have failed because treatments began too late, after too much damage had already been done. Treating earlier and targeting chronic inflammation might help stop or slow disease before it becomes irreversible.
This discovery shows how important it is to manage chronic inflammation to prevent serious health problems. It also opens the door to new therapies that could improve life quality and help people live healthier as they age.
Other recent studies have found that some popular diets may harm bone health, certain cannabis compounds might protect the brain from aging, and common cooking oils in the U.S. could change brain genes in ways that affect health. All of this highlights how diet, lifestyle, and inflammation are closely connected.
By targeting the molecular switch that controls inflammation, scientists hope to go beyond treating symptoms and address the root causes of many age-related diseases.
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