Scientists may have found a way to use umbilical cord blood to treat eczema and rheumatoid arthritis. A research project was looking for a way to treat Graft Versus Host Disease (GvHD), where a person’s new immune system attacks their body after a stem cell transplant.

They stumbled upon a potential treatment for eczema and rheumatoid arthritis because all three conditions are related to inflammation and an unusual immune system response.

Researchers already understood that some components in umbilical cord blood can reduce inflammation and lower immune system response. However, they didn’t know which components were responsible for each action. This study sheds more light on the components of umbilical cord blood.

Scientists discovered some of the proteins that are responsible for the anti-inflammatory action. Proteins called soluble NKG2D ligands can disable killer cells in the immune system and lower immune system response after a stem cell transplant. Part of the protein’s role is to prevent the cells from a mother and baby from rejecting each other.

The discovery of these proteins may eventually lead to the development of creams for eczema and rheumatoid arthritis, where cellular inflammation is a problem.

Dr Aurore Saudemont of the Immunotherapy Research Group says of the discovery: “As well as helping to treat blood cancer patients suffering with the effects of GvHD, these new findings could eventually lead to treatments that could eradicate symptoms of eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, and even alopecia areata without causing any major side effects”

Researchers hope that a cream will be on the market in the next 5 years that uses the components of umbilical cord blood to treat eczema and rheumatoid arthritis.

From: Umbilical Cord Blood May One Day Treat Eczema, RA

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