The immune system of many people fails to differentiate between healthy cells from invading micro-organisms. This is creating greater suffering throughout the world. They are being attacked with the defenses against disease that were once there to guard them.
This trend is being tackled by large international research efforts. One example of this initiative is London's Francis Crick Institute. Two world experts, James Lee (from the USA) and Carola Vinuesa (from Italy) have formed distinct research groups to determine the precise causes.
Lee stated that cases of autoimmune disease have been on the rise since around 40 years ago, in the west. We are seeing a few cases in countries that have never seen such diseases.
For example, the Middle East and East Asia are the areas with the highest percentage of cases of inflammatory bowel disease. Prior to that, they had never seen the disease.
Autoimmune diseases can range from type 1 diabetes, to multiple Sclerosis chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis. In each case the immune system is triggered to attack healthy tissue and not infectious agents.
In the UK alone, more than 4 million people have been diagnosed with the condition, with some people suffering more than one. Globally, it's believed that the incidence of autoimmune diseases are growing by between 3% and 9 percent per year. Numerous scientists believe that environmental factors are the primary cause of this growth.
Lee, who was previously based in Cambridge University, stated that genetics has not changed over recent years. So something must be changing in the outside world in a way that is increasing our susceptibility to autoimmune disease.
Vinuesa who used to be located at the Australian National University, endorsed the notion. She noted that there were changes in the diet as more people ate western-style meals and more fast food.
Vinuesa states that many fast-food meals lack vital ingredients, such as fibre. This alteration may affect the microbiome of a person, which is the collection of microorganisms found in our bodies and which play an important function in controlling various bodily functions.
These changes in the microbiomes could trigger autoimmune conditions. More than 100 different types of autoimmune disorders have been identified.
Both researchers stressed the fact that each person is susceptible to the diseases. It includes celiac, as well as Lupus. It causes inflammation, swelling, and can cause harm and even death to various organs, including the heart.
Vinuesa stated "If you don't have a genetic predisposition to autoimmune disorders, you won’t necessarily get one, no matter the amount of Big Macs you eat." "We have no way to stop the rapid expansion of fast-food chains around the world. Instead, we are focusing on the genetic factors which cause autoimmune illnesses. We're trying to figure out what makes certain individuals more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases than others. This is the method we are using to solve the problem."
This task is possible thanks to the development of techniques which allow scientists to identify tiny differences in DNA between large numbers of people. This allows them to identify common genetic patterns among people with an autoimmune disorder.
Lee stated that up until recent, we didn't have the tools to sequence DNA. However, now we have this amazing power and it has transformed everything. When I began my studies, we were aware of fifty DNA variants which were responsible for triggering an inflammatory bowel disease. Over 250 of them are recognized.
The research at core of Lee and Vinuesa's research efforts, which aim to find out how the various genetic pathways work and decipher the various types of diseases that doctors are currently investigating. If you take a look at a variety of autoimmune diseases - for example Lupus, for instance - it's become clear recently there are a variety of different forms of these diseases, which could be caused by various genetic pathways, Vinuesa said. This can have a negative effect on your ability to find the right treatment.
There are numerous innovative therapies that are being developed, but we don't know what patients to give them. We don’t even know what type of disease the patient suffers from. This is a major goal in autoimmune research. To give the right treatment, we need to learn how to classify patients.
Lee explained that the increasing incidence of autoimmune disease around the globe mean that new medications and treatments are needed now more than ever. There are no current treatments for autoimmune disorders, which often occur in teens, who are trying to get their first job, finish school, and take care of their families.
This means that increasing numbers of patients will need to undergo surgery or have regular injections. It can be a stressful time for patients, and also puts an enormous strain on the health system. It is crucial to find innovative, more effective treatments.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an immune-mediated disorder. However, it's not yet understood what causes this.
The immune system usually produces antibodies that fight against viruses and bacteria, helping to fight infections.
Your immune system could mistakenly send antibodies to your joints if you suffer from rheumatoid. The antibodies attack tissues around them.
The thin layer (synovium) that Check out covers your joints, could get inflamed and irritated, releasing chemicals to cause injury.
bones
Cartilage is the connective tissue stretchy that connects bones
Tendons - The tissue that connects bone and muscle
Ligaments The ligaments are the tissues that connects the cartilage to bones.
If the condition is not treated, it can gradually result in the loss of alignment and shape. It can eventually cause Check out the total destruction of the joint.
While there are many theories that explain why the immune system targets the joint, none has been proved.
Possible risk factors
Rheumatoid-related arthritis may be caused by a range of causes, including:
Your genes - There's some evidence suggesting that rheumatoid arthritis can be passed down through families. However, the likelihood of it being passed on to children is very low since genes only play an important influence on the condition.
hormones. Rheumatoid arthritis is more prevalent in females than males, and this may be because of the impacts of the hormone oestrogen, however, this connection hasn't been proved
Smoking - Evidence suggests that those who smoke are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis.