Rheumatoid arthritis development – protein discovery

A particular protein, integral to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, is under the spotlight at King’s College London.

Funded by Arthritis Research UK, experts having been looking at how the PTPN22 protein mutations affects rheumatoid arthritis risk.

We already know that a mutation in the gene that encodes for the protein PTPN22 is one of the strongest risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

The new research shows that the protein is usually found in large clusters in white blood cells, splitting into smaller clusters when the white blood cell is activated to react to foreign invaders. But the research group found that mutations interrupted this process, resulting in white blood cells that become too sticky and no longer able to perform normal functions.

The next step is to look at how this molecular change affects cells, tissues and the body, to work out how the mutation ultimately provokes the onset of disease. New therapies can then be developed to interrupt these irregular behaviours before they cause damage.

“We have known for some time that there is a major genetic component to rheumatoid arthritis, and this unique study has given us further insight into the mechanisms of this,” says Natalie Carter from Arthritis Research UK.

“We hope that identifying how the PTPN22 protein behaves differently in people with rheumatoid arthritis will enable further research to better understand how the condition develops. This insight could lead to better treatments for people living with the painful condition, and opens up possibilities of finding an effective method of prevention.”

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