From Summer 2018 Forum

This is a summary of an article found in Science Daily.

Although the autoimmunity may not seem to be connected to the heart, it is thought to impact the heart directly. Heart disease occurs at a higher rate in those with autoimmune disease. Researchers found the blood vessels of mice were stiff and that cholesterol was trapped in the blood vessel walls. Initially there was no indication the mice had any cardiovascular disease.

Scientists neutralized certain immune components. Using that information, they hypothesized the collagen in psoriasis might do the same thing and they set out to test their theory. They manipulated (HDL) High Density Lipoprotein which carries cholesterol to a form that could be tracked and inserted it into the mice. Then they induced psoriasis and were able to see arteries near the heart as well as blood vessels had trouble getting it out of the bloodstream.

Next, they gave the mice a high cholesterol diet and induced psoriasis which visibly increased the amount of the blood vessel and artery deposits.

They found autoimmune cell Th17 releases something called IL-17 that researchers were able to neutralizeusing an antibody and collagen density and cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels and arteries were reduced dramatically. Targeting Th17 drugs are in the pipeline.

Ed Note: Using the above information, some CFIDS/ME researchers have announced that our illness is, indeed, an autoimmune disease.