A technique used to treat allergy could be used to treat a range of diseases including multiple sclerosis and lupus, British researchers have reported.
The scientists believe they have made a breakthrough in the search to tackle auto-immune diseases – diseases caused by the immune system attacking the body.
They say it is possible to convert the immune cells that do this so that they can protect against disease.
Treatment could be achieved by immunotherapy, a technique used to treat allergy.
The study, undertaken at Bristol University and backed by the Wellcome Trust, was published in Nature Communications.
They believe the secret is to identify the fragments of proteins that are the target of immune system attacks.
Immunotherapy works by gradually increasing doses of these fragments, known as antigens, until the immune system learns to tolerate them.
The Bristol scientists already have a spin-out company working to develop the treatment.
Researcher Professor David Wraith said: "Insight into the molecular basis of antigen-specific immunotherapy opens up exciting new opportunities to enhance the selectivity of the approach while providing valuable markers with which to measure effective treatment.
"These findings have important implications for the many patients suffering from autoimmune conditions that are currently difficult to treat."
Sequential transcriptional changes dictate safe and effective antigen-specific immunotherapy. Nature Communications 3 September 2014
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