Potential avenue of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis thanks to discovery of a new protein

A particular pair of protein molecules seems to be involved in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, a finding that could lead to new treatments in the future, says research in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
People with arthritis have swollen joints because a number of different types of cell move into the joints. The abnormal formation of blood vessels in joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis (angiogenesis) encourages the movement of these cells as it supplies them with oxygen and nutrients. Blocking this process could therefore help combat the development of arthritis.
The protein being investigated is called CCL28 and is found in the body under low oxygen conditions, which are often present in joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis.
A US research team measured CCL28 levels in the tissues and fluid of joints from people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and found that when both the receptor and binding protein were present in the joints, the cells could organise themselves into blood vessels. But when the receptor was chemically blocked, the formation of blood vessels was reduced.
“Our results show, for the first time, that these two proteins – a receptor and its corresponding binding protein – play a key role in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis pathology,” explains Shiva Shahrara who was involved in the work.
Natalie Carter, head of research liaison and evaluation at Arthritis Research UK comments:
“The research shows that CCL28 is important in the development of rheumatoid arthritis and as such could be a potential target in the development of new therapies. We hope that this information can be built upon in the near future to develop treatments alongside anti-TNF to treat the condition – enabling people with rheumatoid and other forms of arthritis to remain active and continue to do the activities that they love.”