Soon it might never be Lupus again.
July 11, 2024 7:44 AM Subscribe
"Northwestern Medicine and Brigham and Women’s Hospital scientists have discovered a molecular defect that promotes the pathologic immune response in systemic lupus erythematosus (known as lupus) and in a study published in Nature, show that reversing this defect may potentially reverse the disease."
> “We found that if we either activate the AHR pathway with small molecule activators..."
This is a report of something done in a test tube with blood samples. I'm guessing that the "small molecule activators" for the AHR pathway are highly toxic subtances (it's right there in the name: aryl hydrocarbon receptor) that are not going to be candidates for administering to patients.
This is a very cool result but if I were a person with lupus I would not be holding my breath waiting for relief.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 8:57 AM on July 11 [1 favorite]
This is a report of something done in a test tube with blood samples. I'm guessing that the "small molecule activators" for the AHR pathway are highly toxic subtances (it's right there in the name: aryl hydrocarbon receptor) that are not going to be candidates for administering to patients.
This is a very cool result but if I were a person with lupus I would not be holding my breath waiting for relief.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 8:57 AM on July 11 [1 favorite]
Even if this particular treatment approach doesn't work out, simply having a new understanding of the disease is HUGE.
This is amazing news, best I've heard all day.
Thank you so much for posting this, mhoye! Here's hoping the researchers are able to come up with effective and safe treatments soon
posted by kristi at 9:44 AM on July 11 [6 favorites]
This is amazing news, best I've heard all day.
Thank you so much for posting this, mhoye! Here's hoping the researchers are able to come up with effective and safe treatments soon
posted by kristi at 9:44 AM on July 11 [6 favorites]
Incredible news! I have a late aunt who suffered from lupus, any hope is wonderful.
posted by tiny frying pan at 10:14 AM on July 11
posted by tiny frying pan at 10:14 AM on July 11
Pubmed shows 34 results searching for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and lupus, including The key player in the pathogenesis of environmental influence of systemic lupus erythematosus: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor from 2022. It looks to me like we've had incremental improvement of our understanding of the immune signals regulated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, and how specific groups of immune cells contribute to Lupus.
Here's a good reference (Current Therapeutic Landscape and Safety Roadmap for Targeting the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Inflammatory Gastrointestinal Indications - also from 2022) for the state of drug development of AHR-targeting medications. It focuses on the intestines as there's quite a bit of research on treatments for ulcerative colitis. There should be a lot of overlap in the safety issues that would indicate a poor drug candidate.
I just love to see how research has interplay between finding ligands that affect different receptors, finding the systems that respond to those signals and fitting those into disease mechanisms. Many times they turn up previously unsuspected connections between inflammatory diseases (like UC and Lupus).
posted by Emmy Noether at 11:48 AM on July 11 [3 favorites]
Here's a good reference (Current Therapeutic Landscape and Safety Roadmap for Targeting the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Inflammatory Gastrointestinal Indications - also from 2022) for the state of drug development of AHR-targeting medications. It focuses on the intestines as there's quite a bit of research on treatments for ulcerative colitis. There should be a lot of overlap in the safety issues that would indicate a poor drug candidate.
I just love to see how research has interplay between finding ligands that affect different receptors, finding the systems that respond to those signals and fitting those into disease mechanisms. Many times they turn up previously unsuspected connections between inflammatory diseases (like UC and Lupus).
posted by Emmy Noether at 11:48 AM on July 11 [3 favorites]
It comes years too late for my aunt, but I am glad to hear about progress that may save future patients.
Goddamn, science is awesome!
posted by wenestvedt at 7:43 PM on July 11
Goddamn, science is awesome!
posted by wenestvedt at 7:43 PM on July 11
« Older The special pleasing experience | LCBO strike -- it's not just about the booze Newer »
posted by Lyn Never at 8:36 AM on July 11 [1 favorite]