BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Jan. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say the protein interleukin 17 serves as a chemical messenger in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
Investigators at the University of Alabama at Birmingham determined the immunity protein plays a major role on shaping B cells' ability to create more and more disease-causing antibodies, the university said Wednesday in a news release.
The report, published in the journal Nature Immunology, said blocking messenger signals from the IL-17 protein to the immune system of mice significantly reduced the number of white blood cells clustered in the mice's spleen from 17 percent to 2 percent.
The team said future research will focus on ways to prevent IL-17's unwanted actions and preserve its benefits within the immune system.
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