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Deadly Autoimmune Reaction Triggered by Tiny RNA Molecule
Researchers have identified a molecular mechanism by which a very small molecule of RNA,produced in the kidneys,triggers a severe autoimmune reaction,leading to a fatal inflammation of this organ.
Rinichi FOTO: Shutterstock
A recent study offers an clarification for how a seemingly minor genetic mutation can transform the immune system from protector to aggressor.
A team from the University Hospital and University of Bonn, in collaboration with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University Hospital of Würzburg, discovered that a mutation in an immune system receptor called RIG-I triggers a severe autoimmune reaction in the kidneys, writes News.
The results were recently published in the journal Science.