Two More Silver Bullets Against Autoimmunity in Mice?

Two parts of the immune system play important roles in autoimmune diseases. Regulatory T cells dampen the immune attack on “self” tissue. Conversely, a subset of helper T cells called T_H17 cells produce a cytokine (interleukin [IL]-17) that enhances the immune attack (JW Gen Med Jun 12 2008). Investigators have identified two molecules that suppress T_H17 cells and quiet autoimmune disease in mice.

One molecule is the familiar drug digoxin: Digoxin and its derivatives reduced the number of T_H17 cells, which delayed onset and attenuated the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE; a mouse model of multiple sclerosis). Digoxin derivatives also suppressed production of IL-17 by human T_H17 cells. Other researchers found that a …