UZH Tests Active Substance Against Lupus

(CONNECT) Dermatologists from the University of Zurich (UZH) are collaborating with teams from Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - both based in Boston, Massachusetts - on research into a substance that is designed to boost the human immune system. The aim of a study is to find a therapy for the autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus, according to a statement from the university. The disease involves disorders of the immune system in which the body's own structures such as the skin, joints, kidneys and nervous system are attacked.

As part of the current study, the researchers carried out tests with gluconolactone, a naturally occurring substance. Initial results show that the use of the active substance not only produces regulatory T cells, which are necessary for strengthening the immune system, but also suppresses pro-inflammatory cells. These results were demonstrated both in cell cultures and in experiments with mice.

In a clinical study, the use of a gluconolactone cream achieved initial success in the treatment of cutaneous lupus. Significant improvements in the skin symptoms were seen after just two weeks of therapy. "These results suggest that gluconolactone could be a targeted treatment option for autoimmune diseases such as lupus with fewer side effects," Antonios Kolios, research group leader at the Department of Dermatology at UZH, is quoted as saying in the press release.

The researchers are convinced that gluconolactone could be a promising treatment option not only for lupus, but also for other autoimmune skin diseases such as psoriasis and systemic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, according to the press release. ce/ww