Discovery of a molecular switch that controls immune responses could lead to new treatment

A critical control point within the body’s immune system could hold the key to new treatments for autoimmune disease such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

A critical component of the body’s immune systems control mechanisms has been identified for the first time by scientists working at UCL and the University of Manchester. 

“Many intricate processes are taking place constantly within our cells and tissues that together protect us from infection, remove rogue cells that could become cancerous and control over-zealous immune responses,” explains Professor Richard Jenner (UCL Cancer Institute), who led the project at UCL. 

If the immune system's regulatory mechanisms that create an immune response fail, it can start to attack its own cells and tissues – a process called autoimmunity. 

Professor Jenner collaborated with the University of Manchester as part of a ten-year study looking at the regulatory networks within the immune system. 

Our findings represent a significant step forward in our understanding of how immune responses are regulated and we hope many people worldwide will benefit"

Recently, the team uncovered a molecular pathway that includes a tiny molecular ‘masterswitch’ – known as microRNA-142. The molecule is part of the inner workings of the cell and can switch particular genes on and off to regulate which proteins are made. This in turn determines which cells are ‘activated’ to create an immune response. 

Autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis affect people world-wide and often target people in the prime of their life, creating a significant socio-economic burden. 

“Our findings represent a significant step forward in our understanding of how immune responses are regulated and we hope many people worldwide will ,” says Professor Jenner. 

MicroRNA-142 controls immune cells called Regulatory T cells, which modulate the immune system and prevent autoimmune disease. It is, researchers found, the most highly expressed regulator of this type in the immune system. 

By modulating this pathway is may be possible to harness the therapeutic power of the immune system to treat diseases including cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease in the future.