RCSI researchers discover new way to stop excessive inflammation

DUBLIN, Friday, March 5, 2021: RCSI researchers have discovered a new way to ‘curb’ excessive inflammation by regulating a type of white blood cell that is critical for our immune system.

The discovery has the potential to protect the body from the uncontrolled damage caused by inflammatory diseases.

The paper, led by researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is published in Nature communications.

When our body’s immune cells (white blood cells) called macrophages are exposed to powerful infectious agents, powerful inflammatory proteins called cytokines are produced to fight the invading infection. However, if these cytokine levels get out of control, significant tissue damage can occur.

Researchers have found that a protein called Arginase-2 works using the energy source of macrophage cells, called mitochondria, to limit inflammation. Specifically, they have shown for the first time that Arginase-2 is essential for decreasing a potent inflammatory cytokine called IL-1.

This discovery could allow researchers to develop new treatments that target the Arginase-2 protein and protect the body from the uncontrolled damage caused by inflammatory diseases.

“Excessive inflammation is an important feature of many diseases such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. With our discovery, we may be able to develop new therapies for the treatment of diseases. inflammatory conditions and ultimately improve the quality of life of people with these conditions, ”commented lead author Dr Claire McCoy, Senior Lecturer in Immunology at RCSI.

The study was conducted by researchers at the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI (Dr Claire McCoy, Dr Jennifer Dowling and Ms Remsha Afzal) in collaboration with a network of international researchers from Australia, Germany and Switzerland. .

The research was funded by Science Foundation Ireland, with the early stages of the research coming from a grant from the National Health Medical Research Council, Australia.

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Ranked number one in the world for good health and well-being in the Times Higher Education (THE) Academic Impact Ranking 2020, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences is an international non-profit university, headquartered in Dublin.

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