TNI Bureau: Two related protein molecules in the human body, named Puma and Bim, can help protect against type 1 diabetes and arthritis – an Australia based research has found. Lack of these two protein molecules may lead to diabetes and arthritis as per the researcher’s finding.
The research group consisting of Daniel Gray and his colleagues from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute’s Molecular Genetics of Cancer division and the University of Ballarat in Australia discovered that the protein molecules called Puma and Bim collaborate to kill ‘self-reactive’ immune cells that ultimately responsible for causing diabetes and arthritis.
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The mechanism of the process is that the molecules turn on the body’s own cells and damage the vital organs or structures, which leads to the development of autoimmune conditions.
These two protein molecules are `BH3-only` proteins that kill the cells through a process called ‘apoptosis’.
The body is naturally equipped to protect itself against autoimmune disease and that is by forcing most self-reactive immune cells to die during their growth. “If any self-reactive cells manage to reach maturity, the body normally has a second safeguard of switching these potentially dangerous cells into an inactive state, preventing them from causing autoimmune disease,” “We were able to use this discovery to show that the death of self-reactive immune cells is indeed an important protection against autoimmunity.” Gray said.