T cells may exhibit multiple metabolic abnormalities in SLE patients. Excess iron may damage mitochondria and this may contribute to lupus.
US researchers have studied T-cell metabolism in lupus and found that iron appeared to be a common denominator in many of the T-cell problems. They also found that T-cells from lupus patients have high levels of iron, even though the patients are usually anaemic, so it was not clear why the T-cells had elevated iron levels and what it meant.
A subsequent study has shown that blocking an iron uptake receptor reduces disease pathology and promotes anti-inflammatory regulatory T-cell activity in a mouse model of SLE.
The results of this study have just been published in the journal @sciencemagazine
I have the strange issue of having high Hb, and high Hb concentration in red cells. I have not lived at high altitude for decades, but my body seems to think I still do.
Lymphocytes go low but not red cells or neutrophils.
Thank you for your compliments StriatedCaracara I use to be tired and the levels of iron, ferritine increase slowly and no so much despite of taking liquid iron supplements.
It is known that the absence of frataxin (a 210 amino acid protein, encoded by the X25 gene) leads to iron accumulation in the mitochondria causing tissue damage and free radicals. This already happens in Friedreich's Ataxia. It's really interesting and scary to know following the study that it could happen to us.
Said that:
- Why doesn't research focus firstly on finding out why there is a fraxatin deficiency and secondly on raising fraxatin levels?
- Why aren't antioxidants and iron chelating agents offered? Vitamin E, Co-Q10 coenzyme? Is it good or not vitamin E supplements? I am going to eat berries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, like crazy 😅 etc?
- Has cardiovascular or neurological damage caused by this excess of iron in the mitochondria been seen in these lupus patients in the study? That happens with Friedreich's Ataxia. We should be checked, perhaps it's the reason of the cardiovascular and neurological damage in lupus..
- Using a drug as a solution to prevent iron from entering the mitochondria may cause side effects other than more toxicity, and perhaps the opposite effect? that there is too little iron in the mitochondria?
- What if the iron we take for anaemia goes out of the blood into the mitochondria (as we usually are anemic) and accumulates in excess, and so the iron in the blood hardly rises at all despite the supplements? It would not be so good to take them then..
Let's see if a specialist or scientist could shed some light. 💚💜🦋
I read the article which was good, but what you write here is even better.👍🤔
I'm thinking it is amazing how the lupie body tries to cope with its waywardness and that gives us insight too when we notice changes.
I crave food like berries brochilli, brussels and kale. I could get up and eat the stuff every night when I feel at my worst.
Regarding chelates, I'm having issues with gadolinium since an MRI scan of my eyes and associated slice of brain five weeks ago and am wondering what proteins the 3+ ion has bound to, and how it can be dislodged.
Again I'm thinking it might be a mitochondrial thing.
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