XML Feed for RxPG News   Add RxPG News Headlines to My Yahoo!   Javascript Syndication for RxPG News

Research Health World General
 
  Home
 
   Health
 Aging
 Asian Health
 Events
 Fitness
 Food & Nutrition
 Happiness
 Men's Health
 Mental Health
 Occupational Health
 Parenting
 Public Health
 Sleep Hygiene
 Women's Health
 
   Healthcare
 Africa
 Australia
 Canada Healthcare
 China Healthcare
 India Healthcare
 New Zealand
 South Africa
 UK
 USA
 World Healthcare
 
   Latest Research
 Aging
 Alternative Medicine
 Anaethesia
 Biochemistry
 Biotechnology
 Cancer
 Cardiology
 Clinical Trials
 Cytology
 Dental
 Dermatology
 Embryology
 Endocrinology
 ENT
 Environment
 Epidemiology
 Gastroenterology
 Genetics
 Gynaecology
 Haematology
 Immunology
 Infectious Diseases
 Medicine
 Metabolism
 Microbiology
 Musculoskeletal
 Nephrology
 Neurosciences
 Obstetrics
 Ophthalmology
 Orthopedics
 Paediatrics
 Pathology
 Pharmacology
 Physiology
 Physiotherapy
 Psychiatry
 Radiology
 Rheumatology
  Arthritis
   Ankylosing Spondylitis
   Osteoarthritis
   Rheumatiod Arthritis
  Scleroderma
 Sports Medicine
 Surgery
 Toxicology
 Urology
 
   Medical News
 Awards & Prizes
 Epidemics
 Launch
 Opinion
 Professionals
 
   Special Topics
 Ethics
 Euthanasia
 Evolution
 Feature
 Odd Medical News
 Climate
Search

Last Updated: Nov 18, 2006 - 1:55:25 PM

Arthritis Channel
subscribe to Arthritis newsletter

Latest Research : Rheumatology : Arthritis

   DISCUSS   |   EMAIL   |   PRINT
Synthetic protein PLAD shows potential in arthritis treament
Oct 4, 2005 - 8:02:00 PM, Reviewed by: Dr.

"This study opens a new research avenue to better understand and, perhaps, to treat rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that causes suffering in more than two million Americans"

 
A lab-made version of a human protein alleviates symptoms of both acute and chronic arthritis in mice and could be the basis for a new arthritis drug for people, report scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The protein prevents the assembly of a cell surface receptor, thus blocking transmission of chemical signals that lead to arthritis symptoms.

"This study opens a new research avenue to better understand and, perhaps, to treat rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that causes suffering in more than two million Americans," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.

Investigators from NIAID's Laboratory of Immunology, led by Michael Lenardo, M.D., published their findings in the October issue of Nature Medicine, now available online. The idea that the protein, called pre-ligand assembly domain protein or PLAD, might play a role in thwarting the joint inflammation characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis--one of the most common autoimmune diseases--grew out of their research on a very rare autoimmune disease called autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS).

Previously, Dr. Lenardo and his colleagues showed that in ALPS a form of PLAD blocks a cell surface receptor and prevents a needed chemical signaling pathway from functioning correctly. In ALPS, the signal pathway interrupted by PLAD leads to disease symptoms. But, the scientists reasoned, PLAD might also be able to block a related cell surface receptor--one involved in passing signals that lead to inflammation. In theory, inhibiting this pathway might benefit people with rheumatoid arthritis, who suffer from excessive inflammation.

A key promoter of inflammation is a chemical called tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-alpha starts a chemical chain reaction leading to inflammation by binding to two cell surface receptors, TNFR-1 and TNFR-2. Naturally occurring PLAD helps both forms of TNFR assemble and prepare to receive TNF-alpha. Synthetic PLAD, the scientists hypothesized, would bind to its natural counterpart and prevent it from performing its usual task.

The scientists used a variety of techniques (including injection of TNF-alpha) to induce arthritis symptoms in mice. Researchers also injected some of the animals with lab-made PLAD (P60 PLAD). "We found that P60 PLAD protein powerfully inhibited the symptoms of TNF-alpha-induced arthritis," says Dr. Lenardo. P60 PLAD also lessened the effects of arthritis induced by other means. Moreover, he adds, P60 PLAD appeared to inhibit disease symptoms in mice with established as well as acute arthritis. The scientists did not detect any obvious toxicity in the PLAD-treated mice.

"We're very hopeful that this could be good news for arthritis sufferers," says Dr. Lenardo. In particular, the researchers are intrigued by P60 PLAD's apparent specificity: it seems to block the binding of TNF-alpha to TNFR-1, while allowing TNFR-2 to continue to function. This is important, notes Dr. Lenardo, because it may represent an advantage over some currently used arthritis drugs, which directly block TNF-alpha by binding to both TNFRs and thereby inhibit beneficial actions mediated by TNFR-2.

The scientists next aim to develop a more stable form of P60 PLAD. Ultimately, they hope to test the protein in clinical trials.
 

- October issue of Nature Medicine
 

www.niaid.nih.gov

 
Subscribe to Arthritis Newsletter
E-mail Address:

 

The research was also supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, part of the NIH.

NIAID is a component of the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIAID supports basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose and treat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria and illness from potential agents of bioterrorism. NIAID also supports research on transplantation and immune-related illnesses, including autoimmune disorders, asthma and allergies.


Related Arthritis News
DNA-covered submicroscopic bead used to deliver genes to treat rheumatoid arthritis
Rilonacept significantly reduced acute gout flares during uric acid-lowering therapy
Advances in genetics related to ankylosing spondylitis
Is Devil's Claw the key to treating arthritis?
High birth weight - risk for rheumatoid arthritis
Matrilin-3 gene discovered to prevent onset of osteoarthritis
Rituximab halts damage to joints
Tocilizumab effective in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA)
Unfavourable blood fat levels predict rheumatoid arthritis up to 10 years later
Role of inflammatory leukocytes in extending tissue damage


For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send any medical news or health news press releases, use feedback form

Top of Page

 

© Copyright 2004 onwards by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited
Contact Us