Protein found that halts inflammation – good news for people with autoimmune disorders

A protein called NLRP12 is the new focus for targeted therapies to halt the severe inflammation associated with autoimmune disorders, scientists highlight in Immunity.
The team found that NLRP12 works in T cells (white blood cells that are very important in the immune system) to limit production of chemical messengers or cytokines (proteins that regulate the immune response) that fuel inflammation.
Deletion of the NLRP12 gene led to T cells making more cytokines.
Mice that were given T cells deficient in the protein NLRP12 developed more severe symptoms of colitis and atopic dermatitis.
The results suggest how mutations in the NLRP12 gene cause disease, which until now was unclear.
“We have identified a possible mechanism of how mutations in NLRP12 lead to atopic dermatitis and possibly other diseases in humans,” explains Dr Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti who is involved in the work. “Understanding the precise inner-workings of NLRP12 in T cells will help guide efforts to develop therapies to ease symptoms by taming inflammation driven by T cells.”
More about NLRP12
NLRP12 belongs to a family of proteins best known for working in the immune system to help cells sense threats and then launch the inflammatory response to eliminate them. The part of the immune system involved is innate, ie it is the body’s first line of defence.
Previous research has shown that rather than fuelling production of the cytokines that drive inflammation, NLRP12 restrains inflammation.
The current study showed that NLRP12 has the same anti-inflammatory function in T cells.
“This study provides the first evidence that NLRP12 can function in adaptive immune cells to regulate inflammation and impact various autoimmune disorders,” Dr Kanneganti said. “That’s important because excessive inflammation plays a role in many human diseases, including cancer.”

Click here to read the original research.

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Image credit: KT Ann