This might be the dumbest thing I’ve asked out loud. But I’m really interested in how the measles virus causes immune system amnesia, and if that specific aspect of the measles virus might be able to treat autoimmune disorders.

obviously, this has the drawback that the patients would be infected with measles. but would their immune system stop attacking their own body?

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    215·
    15 days ago

    Autoimmune disorders cause the immune system to not recognize anything. They can’t tell friend from foe, and default to attacking everything.

    Measles causing immune system amnesia by attacking and killing where the immune system stores memories.

    The immune system still attacks everything, it just doesn’t remember what works on every virus.

    So it will still attack friendly parts of your body, because it’s “targeting system” still just tells it to blast everything that moves.

    And because it doesn’t remember how to fight actual threats, it generated a larger and less effective immune response, then all those immune cells attack random stuff, which leads to measles making any autoimmune issue even worse.

    • MysteriousSophon21@lemmy.worldEnglish
      21·
      12 days ago

      That’s not quite right - autoimmune disorders don’t attack “everything” indiscriminately, they target specific self-antigens (like myelin in MS or joint tissue in RA) while still functioning normally against most pathogens.

    • phdepressed@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      21·
      14 days ago

      If that were the case lemtrada and the like would have 100% relapse rates and wouldn’t be fda approved.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
        72·
        14 days ago

        Why?

        Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) is a humanized anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody that causes cytolysis of T and B lymphocytes, NK cells, monocytes, and macrophages. After IV administration, there is rapid and profound lymphopenia that gradually recovers (return of absolute lymphocyte count to the lower limit of normal in 40% of patients at 6 months and in 80% by 12 months). Efficacy is thought to be due to depletion of circulating pro-inflammatory leukocytes and gradual immune reconstitution during which there is alteration in the lymphocyte profile and functional immunomodulation.1

        https://my.clevelandclinic.org/departments/neurological/depts/multiple-sclerosis/ms-approaches/lemtrada-alemtuzumab

        That’s the mechanism of action, and I’m not sure what connection you’re drawing.

        Lemtrada is straight up blowing up the immune system and destroying individual cells