DHMC team finds antibodies

A team of researchers at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center recently developed an antibody that stops body's immune system from attacking itself. The antibody, a molecule that prevents diseases, could help patients with rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, according Microbiology Professor Randolph Noelle, who led the research team. The antibody that Noelle's team produced deactivates a specific molecule called "gp39." He said overproduction of this molecule causes it to attack the body's tissue while it attacks diseases. Noelle said the team was aware of the link between the molecule and the immune system because individuals who have mutated forms of the molecule usually die before they are three years old. The team was originally interested in lymphocytes which led them to investigate the actions of gp39. "Lymphocytes are white blood cells which fight diseases.