Tens of thousands of people across the UK are living with a frequently debilitating condition that can trigger a vast array of symptoms and presently has no cure. Nevertheless, a potential new treatment may be emerging as researchers have uncovered how 'resetting' the immune system could prove effective.
Speaking on BBC Morning Live, Dr Oscar Duke explained how this development could represent a remarkable breakthrough for sufferers, though he cautioned that the therapy might also carry certain drawbacks. He described the innovative treatment as being somewhat like a "control, alt, delete" for the immune system.
Lupus, also referred to as systemic lupus erythematosus, is a long-term condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues and organs. Medical professionals remain uncertain about its underlying cause, and diagnosis can prove challenging because the symptoms can vary so significantly between people.
Dr Oscar disclosed that during medical training, students learn that lupus "can cause almost any medical symptom that you can think about", noting that the symptoms are "far too many to list".
Some possible symptoms highlighted by the NHS include:
Lupus symptoms can also fluctuate, characterised by flare-ups and periods of remission, although some people may experience persistent symptoms.
Dr Oscar outlined that existing treatments work by suppressing the body's immune system to prevent it from mistakenly attacking other tissues, but this approach also makes people more susceptible to other infections.
However, a promising new treatment may be emerging, as CAR T-cell therapy has enabled some lupus patients to remain disease-free for years.
The doctor elaborated: "In your blood, you've got the white blood cells that fight the effect infections, but they're also the ones that are attacking you in an autoimmune condition. You've got B and T cells in a soup mixed up together. It tends to be the B cells that are the trigger of these sorts of autoimmune problems."
With CAR T-cell therapy, the T cells are extracted and modified so that when reintroduced into your body, they target and eliminate the B cells. Dr Oscar emphasised that while this removes the cells attacking your body in Lupus cases, it also eliminates the "good B cells".
He continued: "So for a period of time until that all regrows and resets, you're also going to be at a higher risk of other infections that (the good B cells) might have been protected you from."
Three years later, several lupus sufferers who underwent the treatment are now showing no symptoms of the disease. Dr Oscar noted that should the therapy prove successful for one autoimmune condition such as lupus, there's a possibility it could be effective for others including rheumatoid arthritis.
