Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
Increased IFNα activity and differential antibody response in patients with a history of Lyme disease and persistent cognitive deficits. Jacek E, Fallon BA, Chandra A, Crow MK, Wormser GP, Alaedini A. Journal of Neuroimmunology, pii: S0165-5728(12)00314-1. Available online 12 November 2012.
Abstract Following antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease, some patients report persistent or relapsing symptoms of pain, fatigue, and/or cognitive deficits. Factors other than active infection, including immune abnormalities, have been suggested, but few clues regarding mechanism have emerged.
Furthermore, the effect of antibiotic treatment on immune response in affected individuals remains unknown.
In this study, a longitudinal analysis of specific immune markers of interest was carried out in patients with a history of Lyme disease and persistent objective memory impairment, prior to and following treatment with either ceftriaxone or placebo.
IFNα activity was measured by detection of serum-induced changes in specific target genes, using a functional cell-based assay and quantitative real-time PCR. Level and pattern of antibody reactivity to brain antigens and to /Borrelia burgdorferi/ proteins were analyzed by ELISA and immunoblotting. Sera from the patient cohort induced significantly higher expression of /IFIT1/ and /IFI44/ target genes than those from healthy controls, indicating increased IFNα activity.
Antibody reactivity to specific brain and borrelial proteins was significantly elevated in affected patients. IFNα activity and antibody profile did not change significantly in response to ceftriaxone.
The heightened antibody response implies enhanced immune stimulation, possibly due to prolonged exposure to the organism prior to the initial diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of Lyme disease.
The increase in IFNα activity is suggestive of a mechanism contributing to the ongoing neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
I know that autoimmunity is not popular on this board. However, for those who are interested, I thought you might like to know that IFN (ie Interferon A) is the antibody that is also found in MS, Sjogrens, lupus, polymyositis, and RA....
As you are aware there are biologics available to treatment aforementioned autoimmune diseases but none of these specifically target interferon A. Currently, two drug companies have developed drugs they are testing in clinical trials in lupus patients that will specifically target Interferon A.
The goal, of course, is to stop the antibody, interferon A, from attacking the body.
Posts: 1155 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2005
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Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
Just an fyi, as I posted previously on this board I saw the head of neurology at a teaching hospital who is very lyme-friendly. He told me to get my vitamin D levels between 70-100 as that would help to modulate my immune system...ie quell the auotimmunity... He is one of the top MS specialists in the world and he said he has seen an almost absolute reduction in relapsing MS when D levels are between 70-100. A recent controlled study in the Journal of Neurology substantiates this.
I have posted below the results of a study where they are using Vitamin D to suppress the autoantibody effect of IFN. Apparently, those who are higher in IFN activity, as seen in lupus patients, often are also more deficient in Vitamin D.
As some of you with lyme have noted, our levels often drop quickly if we aren't supplementing. I never had this problem pre-lyme disease.
I've been supplementing for months trying to get my levels to 70. I'm at 48.9 right now. I definitely feel better than I did four months ago but my D levels had dropped to 15 so I was really feeling horrible, then.
poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5355
posted
This is D3 you are supplementing?
I have just upped my dose to 4000 i.u. a day without any blood testing for levels. Working in the dark.
Why is Fallon publishing with the chief architect of the IDSA guidelines? Going to lose cred with the patient population this way. There is an autoimmune component of chronic lyme but it is infection driven, and if that is not recognized, then treatment for autoimmunity alone will not work.
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Ditto to poppy:
The union of Fallon & Wormser here is very puzzling and does seem to harm his reputation (in my view). Normally, one would only co-publish with others of high professional and moral standards.
Wormer has neither and has consistently battled lyme patients. It's hard to believe that Fallon seems to be going hand-in-hand with him now.
But, mostly ditto to poppy keen eye for this:
There is an autoimmune component of chronic lyme but it is infection driven, and if that is not recognized, then treatment for autoimmunity alone will not work.
INDEED -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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lightfoot
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Member # 2536
posted
Our advocate and researcher for Lyme at Columbia is Brian Fallon MD. I don't think this could be our Fallon.
-------------------- Healing Smiles.....lightfoot Posts: 7228 | From CO | Registered: May 2002
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Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
Actually, it is Dr. Fallon at Columbia. He believes there is some autoimmune component for some lyme patients...genetics may play a part in this, of course...
Poppy, I took the 50,000 IUs of D2 to get my levels up quickly. After that, I'm taking 5,000 IUs per day of D3. This is what the neurologist told me to do. I had HORRIBLE, EXCRUCIATING BONE PAIN when I first started this regimen that no painkiller would touch. I though I would die for the first three months. Thankfully, the deep bone pain is now much better.. I really believe my bones had become demineralized and were in pain due to remodeling/rebuilding from the Vitamin D....
Posts: 1155 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
Yes, this is the same Fallon, and I don't see this as a damage to his reputation, though admittedly it is very weird to see his name and Wormser's together.
I knew that Fallon was willing to work with IDSA members if he felt that their science was good on a particular issue -- (and Fallon is second author here, whereas Wormser is fifth, meaning this is much more Fallon's study than it is Wormser's.)
I have also been supplementing the HECK out of vitamin D for two years, and I can't seem to get it above 44 -- which is a big improvement from where I started, when my doctor said it was "barely measurable."
-------------------- "Looks like freedom but it feels like death.. It's something in between, I guess"
Leonard Cohen, from the song "Closing Time" Posts: 822 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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