A study by the Boston University School of Medicine has linked a person’s genetics to their response to the flu, a finding that could help doctors predict how well certain bodies can protect against bacteria, viruses and possibly cancer.
Lead researcher Kevan Hartshorna said the study, published in the Journal of Immunology, found people are born with an “innate” immune system — separate from adaptive antibodies. The extent to which someone is protected, however, varies from person to person.
“In the case of the flu, it takes about five days before you have . . . antibodies to protect you,” the School of Medicine professor said. “So during that time, you have to be protected by innate immunity.”
Researchers in the study isolated the inborn proteins in blood, tears and saliva that fight to disarm an infection once it is recognized. Even though the adaptive immune system grows stronger with each infection, the human body relies on the innate immune system for the initial attack.
“We believe that differences in the [innate immune system] may partially explain why some people get more or less sick from influenza or some other infections,” Hartshorn said.
According to Hartshorn, elderly people are more susceptible to infection because of a diminished number of inborn proteins. Children are likewise more susceptible.
However, not all viruses can be fought by immunity, innate or adaptive. Some properties of the avian flu virus, for example, allow it to bypass the innate defense mechanism. Hartshorn said he hopes that in the future, his research will contribute to medical treatment for many viral infections, including the avian flu.
Boston University Medical Center Provost and Dean of Medicine Karen Antman said she is also optimistic.
“If this research leads to a better understanding of how people develop immunity to the flu, perhaps generalizable to avian flu, it may lead to a more effective flu shot for BU students and people worldwide,” she said in an email.