I know that Sjogren's is still not fully understood but I wanted to know what you all thought seemed like the most promising theory is. I think I like the Apoptosis theory from about a decade ago, where failure to properly suicide causes intracellular proteins to be released into the bloodstream triggering an autoimmune response to all kinds of things.
I have a different theory. As I posted on one of your other questions. Cell death while interesting does not explain the phoenix like behavior of jelly fish that live repeatedly for millennium.
Is your theory about DNA damage caused by bacteria then? There are actually proteins that can repair DNA but if there is significant damage then the cell can enter apoptosis so the two theories aren't necessarily incompatible. If a chronic infection is the source, then there should be other signs of infection. I suppose it is possible that the autoimmune diseases are caused by a genetic defect that allows for the possibility of chronic infection though. Whatever the explanation, though, it is interesting that Sjogren's is associated with antibodies to proteins and other cell components rather than cells themselves. I have the following antibodies so far: SS-B/La, GAD65, and VGKC.
Paraneoplastic seems to be dismissed by my doctors frequently but its also possible that we have a benign tumor, cyst, or teratoma somewhere in our bodies. As I'm sure many of you are aware, doctors dismiss any theories about diseases which don't have acute symptoms.
Here is a starting point for your journey. June 1999 issue of Popular Science, "The Cell from heck" starting on page 66. The summation is that the CDC was studying the red tide out break on the north eastern sea board. Red Tide would morph into 24 different forms. Each transition caused a different life altering disease. Cancer, MS, Fibromyalgia and a host of additional AI diseases.
To my knowledge, after Red Tide was labeled toxic, no additional research has been done. The culture medium was the determining factor as to which of the 24 states it would morph into.
Interesting. I will read that article.
hi guys...hope ya don't mind me chimin' in...
just got done google gutsin' the article joey was talkin' 'bout (tried ta put link up but ta no avail!!!)
but i found this...'bout the red tide & on the related stories on right side there's scientists tryin' now ta make it
LESS POISONOUS...W/DIATOM!!!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050526230239.htm
very interestin' topic guys!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apoptosis
here's a definition of apoptosis (cell death)
~*flutterfly...just tryin' ta get outa my noggin & not focus on my pain!!!*~
"The Cell from heck" Here is a link:
http://books.google.com/books?id=gJfxBTKptj0C&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=the+cell+from+heck+popular+science&source=bl&ots=SvIg0Ec74L&sig=ObqrO-63uRNvX_Sr7aqx8MZYbSc&hl=en&ei=pYpkTf74BYnbgQeF5ajhBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
Ugh... and I've been living in MA for 10yrs! This state has so many environmental problems. I knew about contaminated land, lead pipes/paint,asbestos, tainted water supplies, and now I guess we can add "red tide" algae to the list. In the past year or so I've begun filtering my tap water but I don't know how much a Brita filter can really accomplish and since I live in apartment I can't do much better than that.
An article that I read 30 years ago suggested that Red Tide is in all the water on the planet. It is normally dormant unless the water gets severely polluted. I do not know if it is found in distilled water.
JOEY~isn't that the point of DISTILLED H2O??? i always thought that it was better sumhow!!! :-\
BALOR~YEH if our government was a lil' more worried 'bout what goes on in our...
waters...homes...air...ground h2o...RX'S...food & such...i think we all would be ALOT healthier!!!
but then we wouldn't support them w/all the ailments that just randomly reek havoc in our bodies & mow us over!!!
~CURE~...is a 4 letter word ta all of them!!! (not very lucrative...if ya think 'bout it!!!)
~*FLUTTERFLY...ponders why @ 35...my papa @ 82yrs of age is HEALTHIER!!!*~ :o
P.S.U GUYS INTRIUGE THIS LIL' PIXIE!!! MORE PLEASE!!! :-* ;) :-*
Hi,
my first Rheumatologist said I had a propensity for an AI due to family history. He thought that a virus I had in 1991 triggered the disease.
I remember from HS Biology that at that time they thought that cancers were caused by only viruses( 1962-63) In College 5 years later(in a genetics course) the thinking was moving to heredity and genes. In the mid to late 80's environmental factors were taking a hit. Now they know that its a combination of two to three of these factors( at min.) Scientists have located genes sequences thought to influence the development of Sjogren's. What happens along the way to the genes that are extrinsically influenced by invaders to the body and and environmental factors is still bing discovered.
We need to rely on trustworthy sources for information. Wikipedia sometimes allows misinformation to be included in their science and medical info.
We all ( I don't do this enough) need to advocate for more attention to our disorder. I sometimes think that because it isn't immediately disabling or lethal that we are pushed to the background. From reading other peoples' posts, the variety of symptoms and level of organ involvement is so broad that it makes it difficult to put a simple label on it. And again because we don't always look sick, what in tarnation(sp?) is wrong with us?????? Look at how long it takes this disease to be diagnosed. I like the fact that some researchers want to rename Sjogren's to epithelelitis(sp?) This explains much better what is happening in our bodies.
Excuse me for how long winded I got.
Catilee2