CHENNAI: Research on a molecule called IDO holds promise in treating auto-immune diseases, said Dr A N Malaviya, former Professor and Head of Medicine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. He spoke at Sri Ramachandra University at the Dr Lalitha Kameswaran endowment oration on ‘Recent Advances in Auto-immunity and Auto-immune Diseases’, held on Saturday.Dr Malaviya said auto-immune diseases which affect the joints, skin and other parts of the body are increasing because of industrialisation, urbanisation and environmental pollution. While genetic factors are also being researched, the main mechanism is proved to be immunological. In these autoimmune diseases like the rheumatic arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, the body mistakes its own substances like the joint or skin tissues as a foreign antigen and starts producing both auto antibody and a type of lymphocytes called killer T Cells. They destroy one’s own body tissues and bring about the diseases which have great morbidity.Until now there is no cure for such diseases. One of the drugs that is commonly used is methotrocate which also has certain side effects on long term treatment. Research is on to develop a new drug molecule called IDO which neutralises the mistaken recognition of one’s own body tissues as a foreign one because of which the entire auto immune disease process will be prevented.
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