A simple technique to rejuvenate the immune system, to increase its output and enhance response of the T cells has been developed by Australian scientists. This could help cancer and HIV patients fight their disease better.
It is also hoped to reduce the risk of rejection in transplant patients. Materialization of the above concept would mean that the donated organ will be better tolerated by supplementation with LHRH before a transplant and then adding blood stem cells from the donor to a patient's thymus.Common cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, ageing process can severely deplete the body's immune system and the resulting immunodeficiency can allow cancer relapse and leave patients at greater risk of fatal infections.
The approach involves giving patients a constant dose of a naturally occurring hormone, known as Leuteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone (LHRH), via a slow-release implant under the skin. It is known to inhibit the manufacture of sex steroids and revitalizes a gland in the body known as the thymus, which is responsible for the production of cells important to the immune response, known as T cells.
The patients who were given this treatment had new T- cells in contrast to the controls, who failed to develop any, which adds proof to the treatment. It has also been planned to conduct additional trials by random selection of patients to receive the new treatment in comparison to those taking a placebo.
Source: Google health news
