A protein may be able to help treat autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, Georgia Regents University researchers report.

The protein, known as “STING,” can turn down an immune response or actually block its attack on the body, says Dr. Andrew Mellor, immunologist at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University.

“STING is part of the answer here,” he says. Diseases such as arthritis and type 1 diabetes are caused by an immune system being overactive, he notes. “That’s where we want to turn it off or switch it down.’’

Mellor was co-author of a recent study on the topic in The Journal of Immunology.

In this GHN video interview, courtesy of Georgia Regents University, Mellor talks about his findings about new ways to manipulate the immune response and better target – or even avoid –  these diseases.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsQBIJr2K-I[/youtube]