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Combined effect of proteins saves lives in cases of pneumonia
May 16, 2003An effective host defence to the most prevalent form of pneumonia is only obtained if two proteins combine their forces. Dutch researcher Anita Rijneveld made this discovery during her PhD research at the Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam.
Using mice infected with the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae (the bacterium which causes more than 50% of all bacterial cases of pneumonia), the physician studied the inflammation process in the lungs during the infection. She found that two different proteins worked together to overcome the pneumonia.
The inflammatory responses were studied, including the number and type of inflammatory cells which migrated to the lungs during the infection. The production of cytokines in the lungs was found to be crucial for a good immune response to the bacterial infection.
In her research, Rijneveld used subjects without the receptor for IL-1. The cytokine interleukin 1 (IL-1) is necessary for the immune response during the first phase of the pneumonia. The physician discovered that in addition to IL-1, TNF-alpha is also important for the survival of subjects with bacterial pneumonia. If the cytokine tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-alpha) is inhibited in ill subjects without IL-1, none of them survive.
Cytokines are small proteins which function as messenger molecules in the immune system. The cytokines coordinate the inflammatory response by recruiting the white blood cells to the invading bacteria. In this manner, IL-1 and TNF stimulate the inflammatory process and thus the attack on the bacteria.
Ultimately this knowledge about the inflammatory mechanisms can be used to develop new treatments. This is important because pneumonia is still the number five killer in the world today.
NWO (Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research)
In her research, Rijneveld used subjects without the receptor for IL-1. The cytokine interleukin 1 (IL-1) is necessary for the immune response during the first phase of the pneumonia. The physician discovered that in addition to IL-1, TNF-alpha is also important for the survival of subjects with bacterial pneumonia. If the cytokine tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-alpha) is inhibited in ill subjects without IL-1, none of them survive.
Cytokines are small proteins which function as messenger molecules in the immune system. The cytokines coordinate the inflammatory response by recruiting the white blood cells to the invading bacteria. In this manner, IL-1 and TNF stimulate the inflammatory process and thus the attack on the bacteria.
Ultimately this knowledge about the inflammatory mechanisms can be used to develop new treatments. This is important because pneumonia is still the number five killer in the world today.
NWO (Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research)
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