IOWA CITY, Iowa, June 1 (UPI) -- A U.S. research team led by the University of Iowa says it has created DNA-like compounds that inhibit the cells responsible for developing lupus.
Using human cell lines and isolated mouse cells, Dr. Petar Lenert, an assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa, said he and his colleagues showed the DNA-like compounds were able to selectively reduce the activity of two types of immune cells called autoreactive B cells and dendritic cells. When given to mice with lupus, the compounds delayed death and reduced kidney damage, proving their effectiveness.
"With further testing, we hope that class R inhibitory oligonucleotides may become another weapon in the fight against lupus," Lenert said in a release.
The study, which included researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine, is reported in the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy.
