TSRI scientists make RNA discovery that could impact vaccine development

A recent RNA discovery by a team of scientists at the La Jolla, California-based The Scripps Research Institute could result in medical applications like improved viral vaccines and treatments for autoimmune conditions. The study, which was published in Nature Immunology, identified a family of tiny RNA molecules that regulate immune responses in mammals. The researchers found that mice lacking the RNA molecules lost the ability to fight infections and mice overproducing the molecules developed a fatal autoimmune condition. “This finding gives us insights into immune regulation that could be very helpful in a range of medical applications, from viral vaccines to treatments for autoimmune diseases,” Changchun Xiao, the senior investigator for the study, said. B cells produce antibodies in mammals when they are assisted by T cells known as follicular helper cells. The researchers found that the miR-17~92 family of micro RNA molecules enable the interaction between T cells and B cells to...