新发现: 重要免疫基因被识别到

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Key gene for immunity identified
重要免疫基因被识别到

Scientists say discovery could aid vaccine research
科学家指出发现对于免疫疫苗研究有重要发现

LONDON, June 15 - Scientists in the United States have identified a key gene involved in long-term immunity against infections in a finding that could play an important role in vaccine research.
伦敦, 6月15 - 美国科学家发现了一个重要的, 参与长期免疫效应的基因. 基因的发现将会在免疫疫苗研究中扮演重要角色.

WITHOUT THE gene, called SAP, the immune system cannot recognize and react to pathogens, making people more vulnerable to diseases. "So this gene is clearly important for immune responses. Our work shows that the SAP gene is a central player in long-term antibody responses, and indicates that manipulation of SAP may have therapeutic benefits in generating better antibody responses," said Shane Crotty of the Emory Vaccine Research Center in Georgia.
没有这个基因, 英文缩写叫SAP, 免疫系统不能够识别和对应外来病原体, 使人更能容易生病.  "所以这个基因对免疫效应非常重要. 我们的研究显示SAP基因是长期抗体效应的主要作用物, 并提示对于SAP基因的人为操纵在获得更好的抗体效应上能促成治疗性效益. , 乔治亚州, Emory大学免疫疫苗研究中心的 S. Crotty说道.

Vaccines are usually given to healthy people to protect them from infection by bacteria, viruses or other pathogens. They work by stimulating the body's own immune system to generate a response to the pathogen.
疫苗通常是给与正常人们保护他们不受细菌, 病毒或其它病原体的感染. 疫苗工作的机理一般都是激发人体自身的免疫系统产生对病原体的效应.

If it invades the body again the immune system should be able to remember it and fight it without the person getting ill.
之后, 如病原体再侵入人体时人体免疫系统能够记住它, 并在人不再生病的情况下排除病原体.

MICE STUDY REVEALS CLUES
老鼠研究发现了线索

Crotty and his colleagues discovered the gene by measuring the immune
response of genetically engineered, or knockout, mice which lacked SAP and
normal mice. Their research is reported in the science journal Nature.
Crotty和他的同事用衡量经过基因工程使SAP缺乏和SAP正常小白鼠之间的对比发现了这个基因.

The immune systems in both groups of mice launched a similar initial response when the animals were infected with a virus. But afterwards the knockout mice failed to produce enough plasma cells and memory B-cells, which are needed to make antibodies to destroy the virus and are crucial for
long-term immunity. The same types of cells remain in the body after the initial infection has been cleared and launch an attack if it reappears.
两组小白鼠的免疫功能在开始时都对接种的病毒采取了对抗. 但是之后, 缺乏SAP基因的小白鼠没能成功产生足够的血清细胞和记忆B细胞, 这两种细胞是制造消灭病毒之抗体, 促成长期免疫的重要物质. 同时这些细胞会在第一次感染复原后停留在宿主体内, 一旦病毒再次出现他们会发动另一轮进攻.

"What is so interesting about this gene is that it controls the generation of long-term memory, but it's not important for short-term immune responses. We haven't seen a gene that does this before," said Dr Rafi Ahmed, senior author of the study.
"使人感兴趣的是, 这个基因控制长期免疫记忆, 但是对于短期免疫效应不重要. 我们从来没有发现过具备这种功能的基因," 负责研究的高级主管Rafi Ahmed医生说道.

The cells produced for long-term immunity are also essential for a successful vaccine because a vaccine cannot protect against infection unless
it produces long-term immune memory.
产生具有长期免疫效应细胞对于疫苗的成功接种也具有重要意义, 因为, 除非疫苗产生长期免疫功效, 否则将不能够产生免疫.

2003 Reuters Limited.


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