A group of scientists have discovered that fat cells located in human knee produce a protein which has been linked to the development of arthritis. This discovery has been announced during an important time for many people with rheumatic conditions, as May is Arthritis Awareness Month. The scientists are quite excited about this discovery, as it could open the doors to a number of innovative gene therapies which could vastly improve the lives of millions around the globe.

€We found that fat in the knee joints secretes a protein called pro-factor D which gives rise to another protein known as factor D that is linked to arthritis,€ stated Dr. Nirmal Banda, an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. However, he also said, €Without factor D, mice cannot get rheumatoid arthritis.€

Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a fairly common autoimmune condition in the United States, one that is characterized by the inflammation of the synovial membrane surrounding the joints. Given the nature of the patient's inflammation, this disease could slowly cause significant damage to the patient's bones, joints, cartilage, muscles, and other vital organs. If you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, then it is imperative that you start treatment as soon as possible.

This latest RA-related clinical research was led by Dr. Banda, and the results have since been published in the latest issue of the Journal of Immunology. He and his team have become quite knowledgeable of this autoimmune disorder after nearly 15 years of tracking all the known causes of rheumatoid arthritis. Now that they have found pro-factor D in lab mice who have developed RA, they have begun investigating potential gene therapies that could eliminate the protein in specific areas. At this point, research has yet to be extended to humans.

€We are looking at vaccines, drugs or inhibitors to stop the local secretion of pro-factor D in the mouse,€ he declared. €Our goal would be to stop the disease before it progresses and leads to joint destruction.€

So What is Factor D?

Factor D is a member of the complement system, a complex grouping of more than 40 different proteins which are responsible for protecting the body from foreign invaders like bacteria and other pathogens. While testing arthritic lab mice, Dr. Banda's team have discovered that the complement pathway for factor D made the mice more susceptible to this inflammatory disorder.

During this RA clinical trial, the team found that if they eliminated the factor D, instead of the entire complement system, they could achieve the desired result without causing any collateral damage to the body's remaining ability to fight infection.

€We know that fat is normally present around all organs of the body,€ he said. €But what we didn't know until now was that the fat is secreting this protein which actually triggers arthritis in the joints.€

Medications That Can Combat Inflammatory Arthritis Throughout the Body

Dr. Branda also noted that fat cells will do the exact same thing in any of the body's joints, not just in the knees. This would suggest the need to produce new drugs that can combat this inflammation throughout the entire body, instead of just a localized area. However, Branda also stressed the fact that eliminating the entire complement system was not the right move to make if you wanted to prevent arthritis. Eventually the system will regenerate and the patient's risk could be doubled.

€The complement system is both friend and foe,€ suggests Dr. Banda. €We believe we can shut down one part of the complement system that triggers disease without shutting down the rest. If so, we will be making a major stride toward treating and perhaps even curing rheumatoid arthritis.€