| Mechanism of enhancing the anti-herpes immune response through the interaction of vaginal commensal microbes and gamma delta T cells in obesity (= provided by KAIST) |
Another study found that obesity suppresses the herpes virus that causes sexually transmitted diseases. The so-called obesity paradox is that obesity, a risk factor for many diseases, is beneficial in some conditions.
KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, KAIST), a research team led by Professor Heung-kyu Lee at the Graduate School of Medical Sciences found that obesity strengthens resistance to herpes simplex virus type 2 infection through the female genital tract and identified the mechanism announced on the 6th.
Herpes type 2 is a sexually transmitted disease that is mainly spread through the genitals, and women are more likely to be infected than men. It induces blisters (blisters) around the genitals and causes itching and pain. In a weakened immune system, it can cause severe inflammation of the nervous system.
Obesity is well known as a factor that adversely affects various diseases such as cancer. However, the research team found that resistance to the virus arises from the interaction between vaginal commensal microorganisms and immune cells called “gamma delta T cells” when they become infected with herpes type 2 via the female genital tract.
Symbiotic microorganisms, including lactic acid bacteria, inhabit the female genital tract. Obese women are known to have a different composition of commensal microorganisms in their vaginas than thin women, and the research team confirmed that the vaginas of obese female mice contained bacteria that appeared to come from the gut.
The research team found that bacteria introduced into the vagina of obese mice, which appeared to come from the intestines, actively produced arginine, a type of amino acid, and confirmed that arginine plays an important role in the initial infection of the virus.
The research team then confirmed that arginine strengthens the antiviral immune response of gamma delta T cells in the vagina and suppresses the viral infection and spreads faster than when the adaptive immune cells are activated.
Professor Lee Heung-gyu said: ‘This study is significant as it revealed that obesity can be beneficial for some infectious diseases and will be a reference for the treatment of viral infections in obese patients in the future.’ ,” he said.
Meanwhile, studies have consistently reported that obesity or being overweight has a positive effect on certain diseases. Last month, a national study showed that the more obese male gastric cancer patients are, the better the prognosis, including survival rate.
