Researchers at Georgia Health Sciences University have discovered that an enzyme known to protect a pregnant woman’s immune system from attacking the fetus can also help block the development of autoimmune diseases such as lupus. These autoimmune diseases can develop when the immune system attacks the body, triggered by debris left behind by dead cells. The enzyme, indoleomine2,3-dioxegenase (IDO) helps promote tolerance to the debris. When IDO was blocked, mice that were genetically programmed to develop lupus suffered from a more aggressive disease which also developed earlier. “We are really interested in this process of normal cell debris removal because in lupus, it’s thought to be one of the main drivers of inflammation,” said Tracy L. McGaha, immunologist and corresponding author of the study. This information could lead to new treatment strategies for autoimmune diseases.