Trauma drama: researches investigate 'drama queen' of immune system

August 8, 2011 in Medical research

Kansas State University's Sherry Fleming is investigating the factor that initiates the immune system's "drama queen": the one responsible for intestinal cell damage after hemorrhage.

Fleming, an associate professor in the Division of Biology, is using a $140,000 grant from the to identify the molecule responsible for the that can cause cell death in the intestines after trauma.

"What's starting this drama queen situation? A 13-year-old girl doesn't usually become a drama queen without a reason. There's something that initiated the drama -- clothes, shoes, make-up, movies, etc.," Fleming said. "With hemorrhage, we're looking for the initiating factor in the drama which occurs after trauma."

After a traumatic event, such as the loss of a limb or severe bleeding, the body cuts off blood flow to the intestines, sending more blood to the like the heart, lungs and brain, Fleming said. During that time, cells in the gut release molecular markers to let the body know that they are not getting oxygen.

After the trauma is resolved, blood flow is returned to the gut and a protein in the blood -- known as beta2 1 in mice and apolipoprotein H in humans -- binds to the on the cell to notify antibodies that there is a problem. The antibodies then activate a cascade of proteins, known as complement, that normally help the immune system by killing bacteria and helping rid tissues of . However, after a trauma this system can overreact and unnecessarily kill healthy cells.

"If you've been in a car accident and sever an arm or start hemorrhaging, you want complement there to protect you from bacteria. So we don't want to stop all complement action entirely," Fleming said.

But Fleming is looking for a way to interrupt the chain of events leading to the over activation of complement following a traumatic event, because often develop further complications throughout their body due to the activation of complement, she said.

"Many times trauma patients who have lost a lot of blood will end up with acute respiratory distress syndrome or multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, due to the complement system overreacting," Fleming said. "So they not only have to deal with the trauma, but also with their immune system attacking things that it shouldn't."

As a possible solution, Fleming and her lab group have developed a peptide that takes the place of the beta2 protein in binding to the molecular marker on the cell's surface, thus preventing the activation of complement.

"This treatment is a promising solution," Fleming said. "The funding from the American Heart Association will give us the opportunity to make major progress in this research."

Provided by Kansas State University search and more info website

not rated yet  

Filter


Move the slider to adjust rank threshold, so that you can hide some of the comments.


Display comments: newest first

knowledge_treehouse
Aug 09, 2011

Rank: not rated yet
This article didn't make it clear to me whether complements result from molecular markers binding to cells in the areas blood was re-routed from to ensure that vital organs were not deprived of blood during blood loss or in the area around the bleeding wound.
Rank not rated yet
Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • A question about drug tolerance
    createdMay 23, 2012
  • Poor nutrition leading to overeating?
    createdMay 23, 2012
  • Math and dyslexia?
    createdMay 21, 2012
  • portable metabolism meter?
    createdMay 21, 2012
  • Rare medical conditions on 20/20 tonight
    createdMay 18, 2012
  • "Good" Cholesterol in Doubt
    createdMay 17, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - Medical Sciences

More news stories

Implantable pain disk may help those with cancer

An estimated 3.5 million cancer patients around the globe are in severe pain from their disease, but many get no relief.

Medical research created 15 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Energy levels link sleep control mechanisms

Sleep, or lack of it, can determine level of cognitive performance which is linked with accidents as well as increased risk of serious health problems. Links between cell energy levels, gene transcription ...

Medical research created 17 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Researchers identify key brain cell in antidepressant action

(Medical Xpress) -- Antidepressant medications such as Prozac have helped improve mood and lessen anxiety in millions of people with major depression. But scientists know surprisingly little about how these drugs work.

Medical research created 17 hours ago | popularity 4 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Rockefeller scientists pioneer new method to determine mechanisms of drug action

(Medical Xpress) -- Knowing that a drug works is great. Knowing how it works is a luxury. And until now, determining a drug’s mechanism of action has been a tedious and difficult process for scientists.

Medical research created 18 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Like curry? New biological role identified for compound used in ancient medicine

Scientists have just identified a new reason why some curry dishes, made with spices humans have used for thousands of years, might be good for you.

Medical research created May 25, 2012 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (9) | comments 2 | with audio podcast


Of mice and mental models: Neuroscientific implications of risk-optimized behavior in the mouse

(Medical Xpress) -- Regardless of an organism’s biological complexity, every encephalized animal continuously makes under-informed behavioral choices that can have serious consequences. Despite its ubiquity, ...

Tongue analysis software uses ancient Chinese medicine to warn of disease

For 5,000 years, the Chinese have used a system of medicine based on the flow and balance of positive and negative energies in the body. In this system, the appearance of the tongue is one of the measures used to classify ...

Cancer may require simpler genetic mutations than previously thought

Chromosomal deletions in DNA often involve just one of two gene copies inherited from either parent. But scientists haven't known how a deletion in one gene from one parent, called a "hemizygous" deletion, can contribute ...

Inherited DNA change explains overactive leukemia gene

A small inherited change in DNA is largely responsible for overactivating a gene linked to poor treatment response in people with acute leukemia.

Skp2 activates cancer-promoting, glucose-processing Akt

HER2 and its epidermal growth factor receptor cousins mobilize a specialized protein to activate a major player in cancer development and sugar metabolism, scientists report in the May 25 issue of Cell.

Early physical therapist treatment associated with reduced risk of healthcare utilization and reduced overall healthcare

A new study published in Spine shows that early treatment by a physical therapist for low back pain (LBP), as compared to delayed treatment, was associated with reduced risk of subsequent healthcare utilization and lower ...