A novel approach to treating rheumatoid arthritis

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMar 7 2012

Researchers have found a new and potentially exciting way to treat rheumatoid arthritis. The results of this research have been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a crippling disease and is caused when the body's own immune system attacks the joints and leads to chronic pain and inflammation. A team from Newcastle University funded by Arthritis Research UK have discovered an approach which could effectively prevents white blood cells from reaching the joints and causing more damage.

Arthritis is triggered when white blood cells, otherwise known as T-cells, invade the joints in the body. The PS372424 compound only targets the T-cells implicated in rheumatoid arthritis, which means the white blood cells in the rest of the body and its immune system are not affected by the drug.

Lead author Dr Graeme O'Boyle explained, theoretically, that damaged joints are signalling white blood cells using 'flags'. “Imagine that the damaged joint is covered in flags which are signalling to the white blood cells…Traditional treatments have involved pulling down the flags one by one but what we have done is use an agent which in effect 'blindfolds' the white blood cells. Therefore, they don't know which way to travel and so won't add to the damage,” he said. Although in its early stages, the scientists are hopeful that they will be able to transfer the findings to humans.

Meanwhile, Alan Silman, the Medical Director at Arthritis UK, added, “Although modern treatments have changed the outcome for many patients with rheumatoid arthritis, firstly not all patients respond to them and secondly, even in those patients who do respond in some way, we can't completely get rid of the inflammation that damages their joints. This research is very exciting, as although it is in its early stages, if it can be transferred to humans it could shut down the inflammation that causes rheumatoid arthritis.”

The study was funded by the charity Arthritis UK. Work is now underway on improving the properties of PS372424 so clinical trials can be carried out.