Scientists in South Korea have used artificial intelligence (AI) and supercomputers to design a powerful new anti-inflammatory protein.
This breakthrough could lead to better treatments for diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and other autoimmune and brain-related conditions.
The research, led by Professor Jiwon Um of DGIST and Dr. Iksoo Chang from iProtein Therapeutics, was published in the journal Theranostics.
Inflammation is the body’s way of fighting off infection or injury, but in many chronic diseases, this response becomes harmful. Current treatments often fall short. Anakinra, a drug currently used to treat inflammation, works by blocking a signal in the body called IL-1.
While it can help, Anakinra has limitations. It doesn’t work as well for everyone, wears off quickly, and can cause side effects such as injection site pain and increased infection risk, especially at high doses.
To solve this, the research team decided to design a better protein. They used a method called protein structure-guided design, which involves looking closely at the shape and behavior of proteins.
Using supercomputers, they ran detailed simulations and thermodynamic calculations to find a key part of the protein—an amino acid called E127—that affects how strongly it binds to the IL-1 receptor.
They then created six new versions of the anti-inflammatory protein based on this discovery. All six versions worked better than Anakinra, reducing inflammation by 25% to 53%. One version, called E127Q, stood out as the most effective.
E127Q not only helped reduce general inflammation but also worked in the brain. In tests using brain cells, it returned overactive nerve signals back to normal, showing it can manage inflammation in the brain—a major challenge for current drugs.
In animal tests with chronic brain inflammation, E127Q helped reduce inflammation and restore brain function more effectively than the original protein.
Professor Um said this work is groundbreaking because it proves that AI and supercomputing can be used to create better medicine. The E127Q protein is now seen as a strong candidate for treating both body-wide inflammation and hard-to-treat brain conditions.
The team hopes to continue developing E127Q and possibly turn it into a new kind of drug. If successful, this could lead to safer, more effective options for people suffering from painful and life-altering inflammatory diseases.
If you care about inflammation, please read studies about turmeric: nature’s golden answer to inflammation, and what to eat to reduce chronic Inflammation.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how a plant-based diet could help ease inflammation ,and Vitamin D deficiency linked to increased inflammation.
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