Harnessing the healing power within our cells

IMB researchers have identified a pathway in cells that could be used to reprogram the body’s immune system to fight back against both chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases. Targeting both bacteria and inflammation Dr Kaustav Das Gupta and Professor Matt Sweet from IMB discovered that a molecule derived from glucose in immune cells can both stop bacteria growing and dampen inflammatory responses. Dr Das Gupta said the finding is a critical step towards future therapeutics that train immune cells. “The effects of this molecule called ribulose-5-phosphate on bacteria are striking – it can cooperate with other immune factors to stop disease-causing strains of the E. coli bacteria from growing,” Dr Das Gupta said. “It also reprograms the immune system to switch off destructive inflammation, which contributes to both life-threatening infectious diseases such as sepsis as well as chronic inflammatory diseases like respiratory diseases, chronic liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, stroke, diabetes...