The Journal of Young Investigators: An Undergraduate, Peer-Reviewed Science Journal

24 May 2005 - A new protein might be used to counter the damaging effects of severe immune response syndrome, or SIRS according to a study by published in the June issue of The American Journal of Pathology. Tesearchers at Barts and the London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry found that annexin 1, a natural anti-inflammatory protein, regulates the inflammatory response, keeping the immune system from over-responding.

Annexin 1, activated one to six hours after initial infection, controls the spread of phagocytic cells and toxins by preventing white blood cells from migrating to other organs and surrounding tissue. In mice, annexin 1 leads to a steady release of white blood cells. Without the protein annexin 1, the release of white blood cells accelerated, leading to fatal cases of SIRS.

Certain infections trigger an overblown response from the body’s immune system, producing more toxins than are needed to fight the infection. This excess of toxins can cause severe immune response syndrome, which can damage surrounding tissue. Combined with the toxins released from the bacterial cells as they are destroyed, SIRS is one of the top ten causes of death in both adults and children in the United States. (Natl Vital Stat Rep 2005, 53:1-89) Patients with the greatest risk to SIRS are those with impaired immune systems, as their systems release large amounts of toxins to offset their inability to control infections.

Damazo and his colleagues simulated the theraputic treatment using annexin 1 by injecting human annexin1 into the annexin 1-deficient mice. While none of the annexin-1 deficient mice survived a bacterial infection, 60% of the mice treated with the protein survived. A similar process might one day help people with impaired immune systems.

This discovery may give new focus to the immune response and its balance of bacterial destruction and tissue damage.

“The ultimate goal is to use these new targets (e.g., a receptor for a given anti-inflammatory mediator) to develop better and safer drugs,” says Peretti.

---