Thursday, February 6, 2003 TODAY
School of Medicine news
ProfessorŐs research featured on cover of scientific journal
 |
| Molecular Therapy: The Journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy highlights Dr. EscherŐs research on the cover page. |
Alan Escher, PhD, associate professor, microbiology/molecular genetics,
had an article featured on the cover of Molecular Therapy: The Journal
of the American Society of Gene Therapy. The December 2002 issue highlights
his article titled, “Decreased Insulitis and Blood Glucose Levels
after Injection of GAD-Transduced Lymphocytes
into NOD Mice.”
Dr. Escher and his colleagues Fengchun Li, Maria Filippova, Omar Fogoogo, and
Sandra Nehlsen-Cannarella, PhD, found a new approach for generating vaccines
for type 1 diabetes. They took cells out of non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, which
have similar genetic markers to humans, and engineered the cells into a test
tube. After they put the auto antigen in the cells, they inserted the engineered
cells back into the mice. These cells were now able to make the protein that
triggers the immune response to type 1 diabetes.
“ Using this approach, we can deliver the genetic form of the vaccine to
cells that will then produce the encoded autoantigen over extended periods of
time,” states
Dr. Escher, “and deliver it to organs likely to induce strong tolerization
and thus protection from the disease.”
Previously, most approaches relied on direct delivery of the protein form of
the vaccine. The disadvantage of this form of immunization is that relatively
large doses of the vaccine must be administered in order for it to be effective.
“ At the present time, cell-based vaccines are not practical for preventive
immunization,” says
Dr. Escher, “but they could be applicable to treatment of new onset diabetes
and prevention of islet transplant rejection.”
[Top] [email this page]
Thursday, February 6, 2003 TODAY
All contents copyright © 2002 Loma Linda
University. All rights reserved.
Revised
Thursday, August 21, 2003 8:58 PM
Send comments and questions to webmaster@univ.llu.edu
URL: http://www.llu.edu/