See eg pubmed.org faustman dl and faustmanlab.org
Media Contact Bio: Irene Eckstrand, Ph.D.
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From 1999-2004, Eckstrand directed NIGMS' Bridges to the Future Program, which assists students from underrepresented groups in making the transition to baccalaureate and doctoral programs and prepares them for careers in biomedical research. In the mid-1990s, Eckstrand directed NIH’s Office of Science Education and has worked with professional societies and other groups to promote effective biology and mathematics education.
To arrange an interview with Irene Eckstrand, contact the NIGMS Office of Communications and Public Liaison at 301-496-7301.
Watch Irene Eckstrand talk about evolutionary biology and infectious disease spread.
Watch Irene Eckstrand talk with Askimo TV about computational modeling, infectious diseases and MIDAS.
Neurology. 1999 Oct 22;53(7):1588-9.
Use of Bacille Calmette-Guèrin (BCG) in multiple sclerosis.
Ristori G, Buzzi MG, Sabatini U, Giugni E, Bastianello S, Viselli F, Buttinelli C, Ruggieri S, Colonnese C, Pozzilli C, Salvetti M.
Source
Department of Neurological Sciences, Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.Abstract
We studied the effect of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine as an immunomodulator in MS. According to the guidelines for clinical trials in MS, a single crossover, MRI-monitored trial was performed in 14 patients with relapsing-remitting MS. After treatment, MRI activity was significantly reduced. No major adverse effects were reported. Adjuvant therapy with BCG vaccine was safe and merits study in MS.
Comment in
- Use of Bacille Calmette-Guèrin (BCG) in multiple sclerosis. [Neurology. 2000]
- PMID:
- 10534275
- [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
- You don't have to be Italian or have MS to love BCG and
PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e41756. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041756. Epub 2012 Aug 8.
Proof-of-concept, randomized, controlled clinical trial of Bacillus-Calmette-Guerin for treatment of long-term type 1 diabetes.
Faustman DL, Wang L, Okubo Y, Burger D, Ban L, Man G, Zheng H, Schoenfeld D, Pompei R, Avruch J, Nathan DM.
Source
The Immunobiology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America. faustman@helix.mgh.harvard.eduAbstract
BACKGROUND:
No targeted immunotherapies reverse type 1 diabetes in humans. However, in a rodent model of type 1 diabetes, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) reverses disease by restoring insulin secretion. Specifically, it stimulates innate immunity by inducing the host to produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which, in turn, kills disease-causing autoimmune cells and restores pancreatic beta-cell function through regeneration.METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:
Translating these findings to humans, we administered BCG, a generic vaccine, in a proof-of-principle, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of adults with long-term type 1 diabetes (mean: 15.3 years) at one clinical center in North America. Six subjects were randomly assigned to BCG or placebo and compared to self, healthy paired controls (n = 6) or reference subjects with (n = 57) or without (n = 16) type 1 diabetes, depending upon the outcome measure. We monitored weekly blood samples for 20 weeks for insulin-autoreactive T cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and other autoantibodies, and C-peptide, a marker of insulin secretion. BCG-treated patients and one placebo-treated patient who, after enrollment, unexpectedly developed acute Epstein-Barr virus infection, a known TNF inducer, exclusively showed increases in dead insulin-autoreactive T cells and induction of Tregs. C-peptide levels (pmol/L) significantly rose transiently in two BCG-treated subjects (means: 3.49 pmol/L [95% CI 2.95-3.8], 2.57 [95% CI 1.65-3.49]) and the EBV-infected subject (3.16 [95% CI 2.54-3.69]) vs.1.65 [95% CI 1.55-3.2] in reference diabetic subjects. BCG-treated subjects each had more than 50% of their C-peptide values above the 95(th) percentile of the reference subjects. The EBV-infected subject had 18% of C-peptide values above this level.CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:
We conclude that BCG treatment or EBV infection transiently modified the autoimmunity that underlies type 1 diabetes by stimulating the host innate immune response. This suggests that BCG or other stimulators of host innate immunity may have value in the treatment of long-term diabetes.TRIAL REGISTRATION:
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00607230.Comment in
- Targeting innate immunity to treat long-term type 1 diabetes. [Regen Med. 2012]
- PMID:
- 22905105
- [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
- PMCID:
- PMC3414482
You can even be ..... and shoot BCG for good use
>>> Rigshospitalet <news@meltwaterpress.com> 9/3/2012 9:27 AM >>>
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3rd of September 2012 |
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Tuberculosis vaccine - a new remedy for allergies and asthma in children? M Can a vaccine against tuberculosis help combat asthma and eczema in Danish children early in life? This will now be examined in a comprehensive Danish research study. From September 2012, thousands of Danish pregnant women will receive an invitation to allow their newborns to take part in a sensational trial. The tuberculosis vaccine was removed from the vaccine program in Denmark during the 1980s, however new research indicates that the vaccine can improve the health of children. Research carried out in developing countries shows that the health of infants who have been given the tuberculosis vaccine (BCG/Calmette) at birth is improved and the babies have a better survival rate than those who have not been given the vaccine. The vaccine also seems to have a preventive effect against asthma and atopic dermatitis. Results are so striking that they cannot be explained by the fact that the children did not catch tuberculosis. Therefore, researchers assess the vaccine to have a general positive effect on the immune system, which means that children are less sick, and have less atopic dermatitis, asthma and allergies. Whether this positive effect also can benefit Danish children will now be examined in a large Danish research project headed by Lone Graff Stensballe, Paediatrician from the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at Rigshospitalet. The research project will run for three years, starting in September 2012, where 4,300 infants and their parents will be followed through interviews, examinations, and, for 300 of the children, blood tests as well. The project will comprise five PhD courses and a research collaboration with obstetricians, paediatricians, midwives, nurses and laboratory technicians from the three hospitals taking part in the project. “We are very excited about this unique opportunity to improve the health of Danish children early in life,” says Lone Graff Stensballe. “Unfortunately, we have seen large increases in admissions, consumption of medicines, asthma, eczema and allergies among Danish children. We hope to curb these increases with the new research project.” The research project will be carried out at Rigshospitalet in collaboration with Hvidovre Hospital, Kolding Sygehus Lillebælt and the new Centre for Vitamins and Vaccines at SSI (Statens Serum Institut). For further information and interviews, please contact: Lone Graff Stensballe Head of Research Paediatrician, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Denmark Telephone: +45 6022 8092 E-mail: lone.graff.stensballe@rh.regionh.dk |
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