CD Laboratory for Arginine metabolism in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis

This CD Laboratory investigates pathogenic mechanisms that lead to the development of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis and attempts to develop targeted therapies on the basis of the knowledge gained.

The treatment of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) continues to pose major difficulties, as in both cases the disease is incurable and often responds inadequately to current therapies. The targeted treatment of pathogenic target cells would open up new treatment options. It is therefore important and also the focus of this CD Laboratory to understand the mode of action of these pathogenic target cells, the T cells, macrophages and osteoclasts, in order to be able to restrict their activities. Research into the metabolism of these immune cells takes centre stage. Of particular interest within the immune metabolism are the urea cycle and the amino acid metabolism, where amino acids in the body are built up and broken down by enzymes. As part of the amino acid metabolism, the enzyme arginase 1, which breaks down arginine into urea and ornithine, has an immunomodulatory effect. The focus of this CD Laboratory is on research into the functional interaction of extracellular arginine/arginase 1 with T cells, macrophages and osteoclasts. A particularly stable form of pegylated recombinant human arginase 1 is used, which has already been successfully tested in vitro in these target cells, as well as in vivo in MS and RA models. The aim of the research is to understand the mechanism behind the successful treatment of preclinical models of MS and RA. In addition, the knowledge gained will be transferred to the clinic and patients will be examined with regard to arginine/arginase 1 metabolism in comparison to healthy subjects.

In the long term, this could help patients with previously incurable autoimmune diseases.