Patients affected by autoimmune maladiessuch as type 1 diabetes, exhibit uncontrolled activation of lymphocytes T. It is an important component of the immune system. In concrete terms, the immune system defends the body against external aggressions, such as bacteria where the virus. However, if it overreacts, it will attack your body and become a source of disease. Some white blood cells (self-reactive lymphocytes) specifically attack tissues or organs. This is then referred to as an autoimmune disease.
Other autoimmune diseases include multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
A new study conducted by scientists from the Francis Crick Institute (London) have discovered a way to help people affected by autoimmune diseases. A high consumption of a sweetener artificial current, the sucralose, would reduce the activation of T lymphocytes. The study was conducted in mice. Sucralose could thus prevent the immune system from attacking your body.
Sucralose would prevent the immune system from attacking you
Sucralose is a artificial sweetenerabout 600 times sweeter than sucre. It is commonly used in soft drinks and processed foods. Like many other artificial sweeteners, the effects of sucralose on the body are not yet fully understood. However, recent studies have shown that sucralose can affect the microbiome intestinal.
The study, funded by Cancer Research UK was published in Nature on March 15, 2023.
To demonstrate the impact of sucralose on T cells, mice were fed sucralose at levels equivalent to the acceptable daily intake recommended by European and American food safety authorities.
Mice fed with high doses of sucralose were less able toactivate T cells in response to cancer or infection. No effects were observed on other types of immune cells. By studying the T cells in more detail, the researchers discovered that a high dose of sucralose had a impact on intracellular calcium release in response to stimulation, and thus attenuated T cell function.
Scientists hope the results could lead to a new way to use sucralose in therapeutic doses much higher in patients with autoimmune disease.
Sweeteners are still harmful to health
“We hope to have a comprehensive view of the effects of diet on health and disease, so that one day we can advise which diets are best suited to individual patients, or find elements of our diet that doctors can use for treatment,” said Karen Vousden, lead author of the study.
“More research and studies are needed to see if these effects of sucralose in mice can be replicated in humans. If these initial findings hold up in humans, they may one day offer a way to limit some of the harmful effects of autoimmune diseases”.
The study should not lead to misunderstanding. Keep in mind that sucralose is a sweetener, so harmful for health. This study simply demonstrated that sucralose could potentially be used in new treatment options for patients affected by autoimmune diseases.