Genetics of immunome markers of disease

Genetics of Immunome markers of Disease

What is an Immune System Biomarker?

A biomarker is a way to test the state of one’s health condition or how well a treatment is working. In this study, researchers want to use the pattern of genes related to cells and molecules that help the body fight infection as biomarkers. The T cells and antibody molecules are part of the toolbox that make up the immune system that is needed to naturally fight infection. The study will look at how a person’s genetic makeup can cause their immune system to make them sick instead of helping fight infections. The researchers want to find unique DNA codes in T cell and antibody genes that are common in people that have different immune-related conditions, including:

• Ulcerative Colitis
• Arthritis
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Type 1 Diabetes

This genetic code is used as a biomarker. It could improve our ability to diagnose and suggest specific treatments for people with immune-related conditions.

How was the research done?

Researchers want to study 100 people with 10 different diseases that affect the immune system. They will look at the genes in their antibodies and T cells to see if there is a difference between a normal immune reaction and a disease-causing reaction. They will search for people who have not yet been treated for their disease and collect their DNA. They will then compare these gene samples to those of healthy people to see if there are any differences. If they find differences, they will look more closely at the specific genes and how they might be causing the disease. In the future, they may be able to use this information to better diagnose, predict how their disease will progress, or treat them more effectively.

What is the significance of this study?

The immune system can change throughout one’s life. Better understanding the genes and molecules that are balanced between a healthy immune reaction and one that causes disease is important. This will allow for more precise treatments for many immune-related diseases that currently have treatments that could use much improvement. Better treatments can help these patients manage their conditions better with less side effects.