Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana helps to define cause of Job’s disease

Named after the biblical character, the rare and gradually destructive Job’s disease has remained somewhat of a mystery for the last 41 years.

Now, thanks largely to research lead by Frank DeLeo, Ph.D. at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in collaboration with a global research team, a specific mutation related to the cause of Job’s disease has been found.

Job’s disease, or hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome, is a suspected genetic defect that produces high levels of the antibody immunoglobulin. It causes serious skin and lung infections, as well as eczema.

A publication documenting RML’s research was published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers discovered that a mutation of a specific human gene was instrumental in the cause of the disease.

by JENNY HARRIS – Ravalli Republic

Full Story: http://www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2007/09/25/news/news02.txt