Rheumatoid arthritis prevented in mice

Lead author, Dr Harvey Cantor, has high hopes for the future treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

A strategy has been developed for blocking the development of rheumatoid arthritis in mice, giving hope for improved treatment of arthritis in people. US scientists from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that infusing regulatory T cells into arthritis-prone mice shut down the inflammation that damages tissues and joints.

The process worked best when the infusion of cells was given at the same time that rheumatoid arthritis was induced in the mice. However, even if the cells were injected weeks after the onset of the disease, when they were combined with low doses of methotrexate (commonly used for rheumatoid arthritis) the progress of arthritis was significantly slowed down.

The human immune system is a network of cells, tissues and organs that, when functioning normally, attacks and destroys infections, viruses and parasites. But in autoimmune diseases, parts of the immune system attack the individual’s own healthy cells and tissues.Current drugs for rheumatoid arthritis reduce inflammation and slow the disease but even the newest treatments are generally not optimal and can have side effects. So the development of new drugs is essential to improve quality of life for people with the debilitating disease.

The results “represent a promising therapeutic approach to autoimmune disorders,” the researchers claim in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Scientists now need to test the approach in mice carrying human immune cells.