
A type of killer white blood cell, scientists reveal, could make organ rejection by the body history.
The cells suppress the immune response in the livers of mice, without affecting the rest of the immune system.
Advertisement
Marta Monteiro and colleagues at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, found that these cells could be used to create immune-tolerant organs for transplant.
According to New Scientist, the team studied mice protected from the animal equivalent of multiple sclerosis by natural killer T-cells (NKT), the class of white blood cell, which helps to control the immune system.
They found that NKT cells that have a gene that controls so-called regulatory T-cells, whose role is to suppress the immune response.
When injected into mice, the NKTreg cells headed straight for the liver, where they suppressed immune function.
"Using these new cells we might achieve organ acceptance in liver transplants, without touching the remaining immune system," said co-author Luis Graca.
The study is published in the Journal of Immunology.
Source: ANI
Advertisement
They found that NKT cells that have a gene that controls so-called regulatory T-cells, whose role is to suppress the immune response.
When injected into mice, the NKTreg cells headed straight for the liver, where they suppressed immune function.
"Using these new cells we might achieve organ acceptance in liver transplants, without touching the remaining immune system," said co-author Luis Graca.
The study is published in the Journal of Immunology.
Source: ANI
Advertisement
Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Reading
Latest Organ Donation News

An analysis of data from donors suggests donor hearts from patients who were COVID-19 positive could place transplant patients at increased risk of mortality.

Patients subjected to delayed transplantation using 10°C static lung preservation had a better outcome compared to patients transplanted performed using standard methods.

Researchers are hoping to test the antibody IL-15 in organ transplant patients to reduce chronic organ rejection.

Research may speed the identification of patients who need liver transplants by analyzing blood samples to look for biomarkers associated with liver failure.

The discovery of T cells involvement in graft-versus-host disease is a vital step in finding more effective life-saving treatments for bone marrow transplant.