Gene pathway offers new therapeutic target

BALTIMORE, Nov 29, 2005 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Johns Hopkins scientists in Baltimore have discovered a gene pathway that might lead to new treatments for such diseases as multiple sclerosis.

The researchers at the university's Kimmel Cancer Center say the gene pathway linked with a deadly form of leukemia may provide a new way to treat autoimmune diseases. Their tests in cell cultures and mice suggest blocking the pathway by interfering with a blood cell growth gene known as FLT3 targets an immune system cell often ignored in favor of T-cell targets in standard therapies.

FLT3, which controls the development of healthy blood cells, was identified as a treatment target in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, a blood cell cancer, several years ago by the same Johns Hopkins investigators. In the current work, the team confirmed the gene is activated in dendritic cells.

"Someday, using a drug to block FLT3 gene signaling could stop dendritic cells from triggering harmful responses against a patient's own body," said Dr. Donald Small. The findings appear in the Nov. 15 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

URL: www.upi.com