Low Interferon Plus Inflammation Equals Death.

[Remy]

This seems like it is an important finding!

These scientists found that elderly people were more likely to die from the flu because they had low levels of interferon combined with normal amounts of inflammasomes.

The inflammasomes were actually responsible for the increased rate of mortality because they damaged the tissues with an out of control inflammatory response that was not balanced by appropriate interferon secretion.

So maybe it's not either immune deficiency or hyperimmune...maybe it's both at once. What do you think, @Strike me lucky?

They found that the secretion of key antiviral proteins, known as interferons, was significantly reduced in older adults.

"It shows that older people may be more susceptible to influenza because they cannot mount an antiviral response," said Akiko Iwasaki, professor of immunobiology, investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the study's senior author.

To prove that theory, the research team created mice models that mimicked the reduced immune response in older adults. Specifically, they blocked genes that enable the immune system to detect flu, allowing the virus to replicate unchecked. They determined that inflammation was behind the damage that leads to flu deaths.

"We found that the virus replication itself wasn't enough to kill the mice, but needed the host response," said Iwasaki. That response includes neutrophils, or white blood cells responsible for inflammation that fights infection. Neutrophils are activated by the inflammasomes, a heavy-duty inflammatory response reserved for virulent infections. While battling the virus, those cells also destroy tissue in the lungs.

The finding highlights potential new strategies for combating flu. "It has a lot of promise in terms of how we might treat older people who are infected with flu," said Iwasaki. "If what we see in the mouse is true for humans, instead of trying to block virus replication, we should go after the immune cells that are destroying the lungs." A drug that targets inflammation -- either by blocking neutrophils or pro-inflammatory enzymes known as inflammasome caspases -- could prolong survival in older people with flu, she said.


Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Yale University. The original item was written by Ziba Kashef. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:

1. P. S. Pillai, R. D. Molony, K. Martinod, H. Dong, I. K. Pang, M. C. Tal, A. G. Solis, P. Bielecki, S. Mohanty, M. Trentalange, R. J. Homer, R. A. Flavell, D. D. Wagner, R. R. Montgomery, A. C. Shaw, P. Staeheli, A. Iwasaki. Mx1 reveals innate pathways to antiviral resistance and lethal influenza disease. Science, 2016; 352 (6284): 463 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf3926

 

[Strike me lucky]

@Remy
I think it depends on which interferons and the balance as theres pro and anti inflammatory interferons.

All i can really do is go by personal experience, but i have been back on cycloferon for a couple of weeks. It supposedly increases more anti inflammatory interferons then pro inflammatory type. Im noticing an improvement on the days i take it vs the days i dont. I think its also individual as i heard from others where they felt worse on cycloferon, so maybe its increasing pro inflammatory interferon too much??

Im guessing low interferon is why my nk function is low and cycloferon increased it in the past. I keep recalling info where dr lerner mentions ebv etc avoid the immune system by turning down our interferon production.

I find if i look any deeper than that, besides getting confused, theres little one can do if they do have an abnormality thats more complicated.

I think interferon research is an important issue in cfsme as several gurus have tried to fix this issue with inosine, some success with ampligen if one can afford it or dr chia who has used interferon itself for EV.

Also wonder if dr chia has tried different forms of interferon as interferon therapy itself is said to be worse than the disease when it comes to EV in cfsme.

Are their drugs that block the effects of inflammatory interferons but not anti inflammatory interferons??

 

[loki]

my case:

I got HEP C virus for 5 years and now where the virus is gone, i feel worse than with the virus!
that got to the point where i wished the virus was back! stupid.
but that brought me to the idea that there was a fine balance once, on one side the virus particles, on the other side cytokine levels, NK cells and so on. so, now one side equals zero.
what does that mean? the immun system still has high energy and is still sensitive but the energy it produces doesn't get into the virus particles any more. it does get into tissue from the body which produces symptoms. i don't know if this is right but you get the picture of it don't you?