Autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis affect millions of people worldwide. These are conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy tissues, leading to chronic pain, fatigue, and other serious symptoms.But a new discovery out of Japan might offer a fresh way to treat these diseases—without disrupting how the body normally functions.
The Body vs. Itself
Our immune system is designed to protect us. One part of it, T cells, is especially important because they fight off infections and harmful invaders. But in autoimmune diseases, certain T cells, called T helper 17 cells (or Th17), get a little too aggressive. They release a chemical called IL-17 that can trigger inflammation. In small doses, that’s useful. But when Th17 cells go into overdrive, they can cause serious damage to healthy tissues.
The Surprise in Sugar Metabolism
The researchers in this study turned their attention to glycolysis, which is the process our cells use to convert glucose (sugar) into energy. This process also plays a role in how Th17 cells develop.Here’s where it gets interesting: glycolysis produces a natural byproduct called phosphoenolpyruvate, or PEP. When scientists added extra PEP to immune cells, they discovered that it slowed down the development of Th17 cells and reduced the release of IL-17. In other words, PEP helped calm the immune system without interfering with the cell’s energy-making process.
Testing It in Mice
To see if this would actually help with autoimmune disease, the researchers tested PEP on mice with an autoimmune brain condition. They gave the mice PEP every day—and the result? Fewer Th17 cells and less inflammation.It turns out that PEP works by blocking a protein called JunB, which helps Th17 cells grow. By keeping JunB in check, PEP stops the immune system from going into overdrive.
A New Hope for Treatment
This is exciting because it points to a potential treatment that doesn’t mess with the body’s normal metabolic processes. The researchers are hopeful but cautious—they know more work is needed before this could be used in humans.“We see real promise here,” said the lead researcher, Tsung-Yen Huang. “But we need to make PEP work even better before clinical trials can begin.”If all goes well, PEP could someday be used to treat autoimmune diseases in a more targeted, natural way.
Source: https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(23)00216-4?_retur…
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