The immune system of many people is failing to distinguish between healthy cells from invading microorganisms. This is creating more suffering across the globe. Organs and tissues are being attacked by disease defences that they used to have.
This issue is being addressed by major international research initiatives. One such initiative is the London's Francis Crick Institute. Two world experts, James Lee (from the Americas) as well as Carola Vinuesa (from Italy) have formed distinct research groups to determine the exact causes.
Lee revealed to the Observer the extent to which cases of autoimmune disease has increased in the past 40 years in the West. However, these diseases are now appearing in countries that have never experienced them before.
For instance, the largest recent spike in the number of cases of inflammatory bowel disease has occurred located in the Middle East and east Asia. Before this, people had barely ever heard of the disease.
Type 1 diabetes is one of the autoimmune disorders. Other diseases include rheumatoid, inflammatory bowel and multiple sclerosis. In each of these cases the immune system has its wires crossed and focuses towards healthy tissue, not the infectious agents.
At least four million people living in the UK suffer from these conditions. Other people may have more than one. Internationally, it is currently estimated that the incidence of autoimmune diseases is rising at the rate of 3%-9% per annum. Most scientists believe environmental factors play a major part in this increase.
Lee who was formerly in Cambridge University, says that human genetics hasn’t changed over the last decade. There's a possibility that something is going on in the world outside which is increasing our vulnerability to autoimmune disease.
Vinuesa who was a former student at the Australian National University, supported this idea. She highlighted the changes in diet as more countries adopted western-style eating habits and people ate more fast food.
Vinuesa stated that fast-food meals contain a few essential ingredients, such as fiber. The evidence suggests that this alteration can influence the microbiome of an individual which is the accumulation of microorganisms that reside in our gut. These microorganisms play a important role in controlling a variety of bodily functions.
These changes in our microbiomes cause an autoimmune condition, and over 100 have been identified.
Both scientists said that individuals are susceptible to developing these illnesses. These include celiac and Lupus, which can cause inflammation and swelling, and cause damage to many organs including the heart.
Vinuesa stated "If you don't have a genetic susceptibility to autoimmune illnesses there is no guarantee that you'll get one, regardless Click here of how many Big Macs you consume." "There is not a lot we can do to slow the global spread of fast-food franchises. Instead, we're working to figure out how autoimmune conditions are caused and what genetic causes cause certain individuals to be more vulnerable than others. We're determined to tackle this issue at the highest degree.
Thanks to modern techniques, researchers are now able to pinpoint tiny differences in DNA between large numbers of individuals. This allows them to determine common genetic patterns in individuals suffering from an autoimmune disease.
In the past we didn't have the tools for this, but we're able to analyze DNA on a massive scale, and it has transformed everything, explained Lee. When I started my research, we only knew about half of the DNA variants which were linked to the onset of inflammation in the intestines. Now, we know more than 250.
Lee and Vinuesa concentrate their efforts on this kind of work. They want to learn more about the genetic pathways and find the causes of the various diseases they are studying. Vinuesa said there could be many versions of some conditions that cause autoimmune disease, such as Lupus. If you're trying to determine the most effective treatment for your condition, this can be a problem.
Numerous new treatments are in development and we don’t know who to recommend them to. Since we don't know their specific disease, there are many possibilities. This is why research into autoimmune diseases is now a top rheumatoid arthritis pdf priority. We have to learn how to categorize and stratify patients so that we can provide them with the appropriate treatment.
Lee explained that the increasing incidence of autoimmune diseases across the globe means that new treatments and medications are needed now more than ever before. Lee also said that there's currently no cure for the autoimmune diseases. They typically develop in young people trying to complete their education, find an employment, and begin families.
It means many more people will require surgery or have to undergo regular injections throughout their lives. This can be a very difficult time for patients and it can also put immense pressure on the health system. We require innovative and effective treatment methods.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, which means it's due to the immune system attacking healthy tissue in the body. It's not yet known what causes it.
Your immune system produces antibodies that fight against viruses and bacteria. This helps you fight infection.
Your immune system might incorrectly release antibodies to your joints in the event that you have rheumatoid. These antibodies attack the tissues around them.
The thin layer, or synovium, of cells that cover your joints to become painful. The synovium also releases chemicals that could cause injury to your nearby.
bones
Cartilage, which is the connective tissue that connects bones.
Tendons, the tissue connecting muscle to bone
Ligaments – The tissues that connect bone and cartilage
If rheumatoid joint disease isn't treated, the chemicals slowly make the joint change shape and alignment. The final result may be irreparable.
Although there are numerous theories that explain how the immune system attacks joints, none have been proved.
Possible risk factors
You may be at a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis when you perform the following:
Genetics - Some evidence suggests that rheumatoid arthritis may be passed down through families. But, it's unlikely that you'll inherit the condition. Genes are thought to only play a minor part in the.
Hormones: Rheumatoid arthritis is more prevalent than ever before among women, perhaps because of the hormonal effects of oestrogen. The link, however it has not been proved.
There is evidence that smokers are at a higher chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis.