About Rac2
Rac2 is a protein that turns on the cells in our immune system to keep us safe from infections. Our immune cells rely on Rac2 to maintain a healthy balance between activated and resting states.
How do changes in RAC2 cause illness?
In Tyler, a genetic change turned Rac2 on at all times. As a result, his immune system was always in overdrive, resulting in autoimmunity and immune dysfunction.
What is immune dysfunction?
In immune dysfunction, the immune system can attack our own organs. When in overdrive, the immune system may not be able to generate enough immune cells to fight viruses and bacteria, leading to life-threatening infections.
What's the cure?
Bone marrow transplantation is currently the only way to cure disorders caused by RAC2.
Sadly, not everyone has a good bone marrow match.
The unpredictability of this disorder is another challenge: Tyler and his family never knew when the next infection or challenge would arise. We are developing better laboratory tests for identifying overactivated immune cells so we can get ahead of the disorder.