Scientist Identified 42 New “Genetic Markers” for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that impacts the lining of the joints, but it can also impact other organs. In a latest international collaboration, scientists have identified 42 new genetic markers related with the disease, which they say could open opportunities to new therapies.
Working collectively, scientists from different nations started upon what they are explaining as the largest international research to date on rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
They used data from 38 various institutions to carry out a single combined research looking at over 10 million genetic markers in 100,000 people. The researchers say 29,880 of these people have RA. Outcomes of their research are released in the journal Nature.
Steve Eyre, led researcher from the University of Manchester in the UK, states that:“It was difficult and exciting to be part of the biggest ever genetic research for RA and very rewarding that the outcomes really add to our knowing of the procedures that underpin this chronic situation.”
With respect to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the US alone between 2001 and 2005 – when the newest prevalence data was gathered – an approximated 1.5 million adults had RA.
More than limiting quality of life, RA has been connected to cardiovascular issues and mortality – the CDC again states that around 40% of deaths in individuals with RA “are attributable to cardiovascular reasons, which includes ischemic heart disease and stroke.”
Feasible new treatments for RA
After examining all of the mixed data, scientists from the latest research identified DNA variations at 42 regions of the genome that are related with rheumatoid arthritis. They say that added to the 61 that were formerly known, they have now recognized over 100 genetic threat markers for RA.
Professor Jane Worthington, director of the Centre for Genetics and Genomics in the UK, states that:“What’s interesting about this research is that in inclusion to dramatically improving our knowledge of genetic vulnerability to RA, for the 1st time we have identified some resemblances between RA and some cancers impacting the blood.”
She adds that some of these cancers previously have accepted, successful treatments, so their outcomes “open the door to achievable evaluation of the drugs for therapy of RA.”
Prof. Alan Silman, Arthritis Research UK medical director, states that additional research “is now needed to examine these risk areas in more detail, to allow us to comprehend how they are engaged in disease development.”
In addition,” he states that, “the outcomes of this work have recognized resemblances with some other situations, which indicates that review of present therapies could be valuable and may guide to new and improved treatments for the half a million individuals presently living with rheumatoid arthritis.”