As per scientists at the Schepens Eye Research Institute, a factor or protein in the eye can prevent and halt autoimmune eye disease in animal models and can be used to prevent and treat other autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis and diabetes.

The authors demonstrated, in a study in the November issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, that the factor alpha-MSH, when harnessed and used as a therapeutic drug, is able to successfully prevent the onset of and stop progression of uveitis.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Schepens scientists took T cells from similar mice without uveitis and placed those cells in a culture with alpha-MSH and TGF-beta2, another factor found in the eye, which enhances the action of alpha-MSH. These T cells were specific for a self protein found in the retina. In the culture, these conventional T cells were coaxed into becoming “regulatory” T cells and were then injected into the mice with the disease. On examination of the eyes of the mice, the research team found that the severity of uveitis was significantly reduced and in most cases, the onset of the disease was prevented.

“This technique was extremely effective in the mouse model, and we believe that it has a great potential to work in other autoimmune diseases by changing the immune response responsible for multiple sclerosis or for the onset of Type 1 diabetes.” Says Dr. Taylor.

Although Dr. Taylor cautions that the exploration of the this technique is in its early stage, if it is found to be effective in humans it may someday offer a tissue targeted treatment for autoimmune diseases, which are often treated with steroids that can impact the whole body, he notes.

The Schepens Eye Research Institute team was awarded a $330, 000 grant by the Wadsworth Foundation for exploring new therapies for multiple sclerosis based on this study and the basic research leading up to it.