Public Research into childhood leukaemia- double hit theory of prebirth (but not inherited) problem and later inflammatory illness.

https://www.theguardian.com/science...l-greaves-microbes-protection-against-disease

Posted this because of the double hit suggestion of cause of childhood leukaemia. Repopulating the microbiome as a cure suggested.

There is a longer version of this article in the Observer today 30/12/18, main section p12.

ETA: title slightly altered.

 

I find it hard to see the justification for this idea. It seems that modern living is blamed for being too clean and as a result causing too much inflammation. But in the 1970s, when modern living was not available to all the comparison between new and old lifestyle in terms of level of inflammation was easy to see. The people still living 'dirty' lives had lots of inflammation - chronic ear infections, bronchopneumonia, bacterial endocarditis - the wards were full of it. And the people living clean lives were not getting these things.

I doubt there is a scrap of evidence to suggest that cleaner living increases inflammation. The idea that clean living is a problem is at least as old as my student training but used to be blamed for autoimmunity and we now have pretty good evidence that the theory has no basis.

My understanding was that we now know how lymphoblastic leukaemia works and it has to do with the work of Michael Neuberger on activation induced deaminase (AID) - which has nothing much to do with dirt or infection. B lymphocytes are rather prone to cancer because they use AID to punch holes in their immunoglobulin genes to make antibody variants. Unfortunately AID can punch holes in other genes from time to time. If the holes are repaired wrong you can get cancer.

 

Moderator note: Post moved from another thread.


Not sure this post belongs here but links to genetic mutation:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/opinion/health-secrets-of-the-amish.html


According to this article and this one here, Professor Mel Greaves believes that a genetic mutation leaves some children at greater risk of developing leukaemia. For leukaemia to develop, another biological event has to occur. These children, he argues, have not developed a robust immune system as they have not

without which their

Modern living means that young people are not exposed to bugs and infections as they once were e.g. antiseptic wipes, smaller family sizes reducing cross infections, less breast feeding etc. So

Interesting he suggests that

If this is the case, could this also explain how ME/CFS is triggered? That would mean that many different infections/viruses/injuries could increase cytokines in the blood and this could lead to the onset of the illness. That would fit with many people’s experiences reported here with a myriad of personal experiences followed by the onset of ME/CFS.


Even in genetically similar individuals, some are more likely to develop allergies than others based on their exposure to bacteria at an early age. See article here.

 

Thanks @Fungi.

I was interested in this double hit theory as it related to ME too.

Unfortunately brain is more crashed than usual but I think some of the recent research on ME eg metabolic trap, includes this type of approach. Also the microbiome is being looked at carefully.

Will be interesting to see how this works out with childhood leukaemia, and of course if the metabolic trap works out.
I think there were some difficulties??