Tobacco plants are good for you

[El Presidente]

 

 

Tobacco plants used as 'green bioreactors' to produce anti-inflammatory protein

 

Reviewed by James Ives, MPsychFeb 27 2019

Researchers at Western University and Lawson Health Research Institute are using tobacco plants as 'green bioreactors' to produce an anti-inflammatory protein with powerful therapeutic potential.

The plants are being used to produce large quantities of a human protein called Interleukin 37, or IL-37. The protein is naturally produced in the human kidney in very small quantities and has powerful anti-inflammatory and immune-suppressing properties, providing potential for treating a number of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders like type 2 diabetes, stroke, dementia and arthritis.

"This protein is a master regulator of inflammation in the body, and has been shown in pre-clinical models to be effective in treating a whole host of diseases," said Dr. Tony Jevnikar, Professor at Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Scientist at Lawson. "The human kidney produces IL-37, but not nearly enough to get us out of an inflammation injury."

And while showing promise in animal models, IL-37's use clinically has been limited because of the inability to produce it in large quantities at a price that is feasible clinically. Currently, it can be made in very small amounts using the bacteria E. coli, but at a very high cost.

That's where the tobacco plants come in.

This work is the first of its kind to demonstrate that this functional human protein can be produced in plant cells. "The plants offer the potential to produce pharmaceuticals in a way that is much more affordable than current methods," said Shengwu Ma, PhD, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biology at Western and Scientist at Lawson. "Tobacco is high-yield, and we can temporarily transform the plant so that we can begin making the protein of interest within two weeks."

The researchers have shown in a recent study published in the journal Plant Cell Reports, that the protein can be extracted and quantified from the plant cells in a way that maintains its function. Now that they've shown they can produce the protein in tobacco, it can be translated to other plants, like potatoes.

Dr. Jevnikar is investigating the effect that IL-37 has for preventing organ injury during transplantation. When an organ is removed for transplantation and then transferred to a recipient, inflammation occurs when the blood flow is restored to the organ. He and his team believe IL-37 provides a way to prevent that injury.

"I hope that this work will impact a change in how people view plants and hopefully this approach will be a way to provide treatments to patients that are effective and affordable," Dr. Jevnikar said.

Source:

https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/2019/02/26/tobacco-plants-transformed-green-bioreactors-benefit-human-health/

[Fuzz]

I could have told them tobacco plants could be used as anti-inflammatory. Every time I smoke a cigar, I'm too chilled to get worked up about anything...

[smokum]

This may explain why its hard for me to get “inflamed” anymore?

[AbasCigar]

And I'm sitting here with the worst cold in a while... this means I need to increase the amount of cigars I smoke / day for that anti inflammatory effect I suppose ?

[IanMcLean68]

Except for that odd and rare occasion (OK maybe not so rare for some) when a really, really, REALLY good cigar gives you that unexpected chubby 

[koosh]

So do we need to rub tobacco on our cheeks to improve our anti-inflammatory responses? Seems like it is too good to be true but I will try it.

[CaptainQuintero]

9 minutes ago, koosh said:

So do we need to rub tobacco on our cheeks to improve our anti-inflammatory responses? Seems like it is too good to be true but I will try it.

I guess it depends which cheeks

[koosh]

22 minutes ago, CaptainQuintero said:

I guess it depends which cheeks

I guess we need full coverage for maximum protection.

[Jimmy_jack]

And I'm sitting here with the worst cold in a while... this means I need to increase the amount of cigars I smoke / day for that anti inflammatory effect I suppose 

Dude...I've been miserable for many days. Killing me over here with great smoking weather. It's like the flu almost, without a fever.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[Shelby07]

9 hours ago, AbasCigar said:

And I'm sitting here with the worst cold in a while... this means I need to increase the amount of cigars I smoke / day for that anti inflammatory effect I suppose ?

 

15 minutes ago, Jimmy_jack said:

Dude...I've been miserable for many days. Killing me over here with great smoking weather. It's like the flu almost, without a fever.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 

I have found that a cold’s symptoms actually are reduced when I smoke a cigar. I have also heard this from a few of the guys at my cigar shop. 

[AbasCigar]

1 hour ago, Jimmy_jack said:

Dude...I've been miserable for many days. Killing me over here with great smoking weather. It's like the flu almost, without a fever.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 

Woah just like me. No fever but can barely feel any taste / smell. Tired and slow. Hope you (we) get better soon! 

1 hour ago, Shelby07 said:

 

I have found that a cold’s symptoms actually are reduced when I smoke a cigar. I have also heard this from a few of the guys at my cigar shop. 

Now that sounds like a medicine for me... worth a try. Just feel it's so sad to waste a cigar without being able to taste anything. I'll try it out anyhow:D

thanks for the advice 

[rabidraccoon]

Rest assured, we are not coming into contact with this protein from the tobacco we smoke. This is a genetic biosynthesis of the protein using the tobacco plant as the host. They are inserting the DNA that codes for this protein into the tobacco cells. During the cells' transcription process, the RNA comes along and reads off the block of DNA that they artificially inserted and synthesizes the protein. They can then smash the cells open (lysis) and separate the protein from the other cellular matter and fluid. As far as I know, there is no such genetic engineering used in the tobacco strains we smoke, although they are selected for their genetic traits like resistance to disease, etc.