New understanding of inflammation promises fresh approaches to treatment

Scientists have made a discovery about the way inflammation works at a cellular level that could aid the future treatment of inflammatory conditions.

A team from Trinity College Dublin have found that macrophage cells, which play a key role in starting and controlling the body's immune response to infections, can sometimes re-wire energy-generating mitochondria to amplify the immune response to a dangerous level.

This elevated response creates toxic compounds that exacerbate inflammation and is implicated in a number of inflammatory diseases, including arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and septic shock.

It is thought that by creating therapies to suppress macrophages to an appropriate level, they can be turned into more benign anti-inflammatory cells, meaning the associated tissue damage caused by an excessively high inflammation alert status can be reduced.

Luke O'Neill, professor of biochemistry at the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute at Trinity College Dublin, said: "We have great hope that this area will go on to yield a whole new understanding of the complexities of inflammation, which might ultimately benefit patients via new therapeutic options."

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