Grant: Operating Grant: Industry-partnered Collaborative Research - Other Partner

One of the most effective treatments for severe inflammatory and autoimmune diseases is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). This treatment is made up of human antibodies derived from the plasma of many donors and is currently the most commonly prescribed plasma product. Although the therapy is effective, we do not understand how it works in many diseases. In addition, understanding the mechanism of its therapeutic action would help us to develop newer therapies that potentially would not have to rely on blood and plasma donations, improving the potential safety and the burden on the plasma supply. Our laboratory has discovered a new mechanism by which IVIG appears to work. We will explore this novel action, which includes increased numbers of cells known as T-regulatory cells. These cells are part of the normal, anti-inflammatory response to disease. By comprehending how immunoglobulin therapy increases T-regulatory cells, we will learn how to harness the power of naturally occurring parts to the immune system (antibodies and T-regulatory cells) to help combat severe inflammatory and autoimmune disease.