Tag Archives: immune system

Could the new Cyclosporin be in our own bodies?

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The Immune system Simplified (Nobel Media)

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Recent research at the BC children’s hospital in Vancouver, Canada has unearthed one of the mysteries of an immune cell that may play a key role in combating auto-immune diseases.

"A Regulatory T Cell" Image Source: http://www.iayork.com/Images/2008/12-8-08/BioLegendTReg.png

The cell in question is the regulatory T cell (Treg), a regulatory cell responsible for the management of immune responses. While largely unstudied, this cell has been found to prevent disease and illness brought on by the body’s own immune system. Tregs monitor our immune systems and counter-balance the constant assault against the cells within our bodies both malignant and benign. In a sense, they’re the whistle blowers of the body police.

While the job of Tregs is to control and reduce immune response, they can also be used to quell a person’s runaway immune system and subdue the illnesses our immune systems can sometimes create.

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While Treg therapy may seem futuristically out of reach or too good to be true, preliminary trials so far demonstrated promising results in human and mouse models. Anti-immune therapies using Tregs have been so effective and versatile that they not only treat the inflammation in Crohn’s Disease but tissue rejection in organ transplants. At times, this cell is  even capable of giving the body life long tolerance to the transplanted foreign organs.

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"Simplified Illustration of the Inflammatory Response" Image Source: http://www.rkm.com.au/immunology/immune-images/IMMUNE-inflammation-R-600.jpg

Despite these triumphs, Treg therapies still have a long way to go. The recent discovery found by the BC researchers shed light on interactions of Tregs with Neutrophils, immune cells involved in the generic first response of immune systems. While Tregs are meant to suppress immune responses, they seem to attract neutrophils in vast quantities which are highly inflammatory in nature. Until more is known about the relationships and functions of Tregs, researchers may run the risk of accidentally triggering an immune response when trying to reduce it. Another possible risk to consider is that Treg therapy may increase our risk of cancer by suppressing the cells responsible for keeping it in check.

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Despite these risks it is obvious that Treg therapies have an untapped potential with almost limitless application to illnesses associated with an overactive immune system. Our bodies’ tolerance of Tregs and their adaptive and responsive nature make them not only ideal in that they act like living cyclosporine, but they have been tweaked and perfected to be the ideal  immune suppressant for over millennia, before we ever got sick.

 

 

 

Is Too Much Exercise Good For You ?

 

Benefits of exercising is not a new topic . Almost everybody (at least in north America) has heard once in their life time that in order to gain a stronger immune system you have to have a proper diet and consistent exercising habit. It is recommended by government of Canada to be involve in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity exercising 5 days a week (http://www.healthyalberta.com/Documents/Choosewell-Logbook-2011.pdf).

it is important to have a balanced diet and consistent exercise pattern to achieve optimal health (http://www.justprnews.com/15416/colon-cleanser-for-a-healthy-body-and-mind/)

 

However it has been proven scientifically that long, vigorous exercising can suppress the immune system and in fact makes the body more vulnerable to infection.

One of the studies that supports this finding is the study that was published in journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, conducted by Murphy and his colleges which the link to the study is here http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18616997. They have divided mice into two groups. One rested and the other group ran on treadmill for three days until they were exhausted. Both groups were exposed to influenza virus; the group who were running had more severe symptoms of the illness

The second study (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088915910500067X) which its result agreed with the above experiment also published in journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, examined the influence of the virus on subjects who were already sick.  In this study one group of sick mice were allowed to rest while the second group ran leisurely  for 20 to 30 minutes , also there were a third group in this study which ran for two and half hours. Each group repeated the routine for three days. Their results were very interesting: 50 % of the sedentary mice dies , while only 12 % of the gently jogging mice passes away and 70 % of the third group could not survive the virus. Therefore what we can learn here is what my father always tells me:” do not overdue anything in your life,  and be reasonable in your decisions”

The reason for such finding is still unclear. Scientists believe that intense work out suppresses immune response for a period of time immediately after you have finished your workout. An associate professor of sport and exercise sciences at Loughborough University  says“the longer you exercise the longer the period of suppress immune system”

relationship between exercise intensity and risk of getting an infection (http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/hal/exerciseillness.htm)

At the end, I would like to emphasize that it does not mean that you should not exercise , in fact Jeffrey A. Woods, a professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois believes that “in general, moderate exercise, such as a leisurely jog or walk, may prop up your immune response and lessen the duration and severity of a mild infection”. Here is a video that lists the benefits of exercise :

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Hence, Exercise but DO NOT OVERDUE IT .