What is it about?
Microorganisms have long been thought to affect immune-related syndromes, especially autoimmune diseases. The evolutionary relationship between hosts and microorganisms maintains a homeostatic immune balance, which depends on the presence of both. This study explores the role of the Th1/Th2 immune balance in the interaction between the parasite Leishmania amazonensis and the immune system in an autoimmune diabetes genetic background, through the cytokine osteopontin, which is crucial for an efficient type 1 immune response. For the first time, this research experimentally examines immune mechanisms that may be involved in both infection and autoimmunity.
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Why is it important?
The influence of microorganisms on the autoimmune response is complex and intriguing. Our study on the effect of L. amazonensis parasites on type 1 diabetes offers insights into possible immune mechanisms in autoimmune-prone NOD mice during infection. Our findings show that a) environmental triggers, like L. amazonensis infection, which induces Th1 immune responses like those in autoimmune diabetes, can affect autoimmunity, and b) host-parasite interactions may shape singular associations that influence natural selection.
Perspectives
The journey to understand the impact of infections on autoimmune diabetes has been long. I started with classical genetic analysis, constructing congenic mice, and using transcriptomic approaches for functional genetics. Along the way, I was fortunate to see that my experiments were aligning with the hygiene hypothesis, suggesting that infectious microorganisms shape autoimmune responses. Eventually, I embraced the challenge of studying host-parasite interactions in an autoimmune genetic background. It has been a deeply enriching experience.
Evie Melanitou
Institut Pasteur
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Type 1 diabetes and parasite infection: An exploratory study in NOD mice, PLoS ONE, October 2024, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308868.
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