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HealGrowThriveMedicine.com

Please note: Due to Dr Vasquez's teaching/travel/administrative schedule, phone/email/Skype/office appointments are available for consultations on complex disorders and particularly autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. If you have a question about an appointment, please email Dr Vasquez: DrAlexVasquez AT gmail.com.

 

About the Doctor

Dr Alex Vasquez

Biography

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The "Heal, Grow, Thrive" concept

 

Clinical Office

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Health Information

Hypertension and high blood pressure

Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

Functional medicine

Biological medicine

Naturopathic medicine

Osteopathic medicine

Chiropractic

Hypertension and high blood pressure

Recipes

 
Books by Dr Vasquez

New 5-book discount price

Orthopedics (3rd Ed)

Migraine, Hypothyroidism, Fibromyalgia

Integrative Functional Medicine for Hypertension

Mastery of Common Clinical Disorders

Integrative Rheumatology

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

Psoriasis & Psoriatic Arthritis
 

Thyroid autoimmunity induced by hepatitis C virus via bystander activation—Binding of hepatitis C virus E2 protein to thyroid cells may cause thyroid autoimmunty via bystander activation (J Autoimmun 2008 Dec[1]): Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is well-known to be causally associated with thyroid autoimmunity (eg, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) but the molecular mechanism by which this association manifests has not been previously elucidated. In this study, researchers Akeno, Blackard, and Tomer showed that thyroid cells express a surface receptor called CD81, which is a binding site for the HCV protein E2. When HCV E2 binds to CD81, the proinflammatory cytokine IL-8 is produced. These authors concluded, “In summary, we have shown that CD81 is expressed in thyroid cells and can bind HCV envelope protein E2 leading to IL-8 production. These data suggest that local effects of HCV proteins can induce thyroiditis by bystander activation mechanisms.” Although their conclusion might be premature insofar as their data showed deductive probability rather than objective certainty, it may be considered pragmatically sufficient


 

[1] Akeno N, Blackard JT, Tomer Y. HCV E2 protein binds directly to thyroid cells and induces IL-8 production: a new mechanism for HCV induced thyroid autoimmunity. J Autoimmun. 2008 Dec;31(4):339-44 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2641008/pdf/nihms84111.pdf

 
 
Introduction to Dr Vasquez:  Dr Alex Vasquez is an expert clinician, researcher, author and international lecturer who cares for patients in his office and educates other physicians world-wide on the best means to improve health outcomes.  Dr Vasquez holds 3 doctoral degrees from fully-accredited American universities.  In clinical practice, he treats a wide range of conditions and has particular interest in inflammatory/metabolic and autoimmune conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue, and psoriasis.
 

 

 

 

For patients: Comprehensive healthcare in Portland, Oregon: www.HealGrowThriveMedicine.com

For doctors and health science students: Books, articles, and seminars: www.OptimalHealthResearch.com

 

Copyright © 2004-2013.   Natural Health Consulting Corporation, Integrative and Biological Medicine Research and Consulting LLC, and Dr.Alex Vasquez. 

All rights reserved. 

Use and continued of this site and scheduling of appointments-consultations for patient care constitute agreement with Dr Vasquez's office policies and agreements contained within the "mutual understandings" listed in the new patient profile.

 

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