A recent study conducted by researchers from Adelaide, Australia, and the United States has uncovered a surprising connection between a less common type of rheumatoid arthritis and gene mutations typically associated with blood cancer.
This research sheds new light on seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, a subtype of the disease that differs from the more common form in how it responds to treatment and in its negative blood test results for rheumatoid arthritis markers.
Unlike the more widely recognized seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, the cause of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis remains largely unknown, and finding effective treatments has been challenging.
The study, published in the journal Bloodby the American Society of Hematology, was a collaborative effort involving researchers from SAHMRI (South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute), the University of Adelaide, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Flinders University, and the Mayo Clinic in the United States.
The research team, led by clinical hematologist Associate Professor Devendra Hiwase and Dr. Dan Thomas, head of SAHMRI’s Blood Cancer Program, made an unexpected discovery.
They found that many patients with seronegative arthritis also had mutations in epigenetic genes—genes that regulate gene expression—commonly linked to blood disorders like acute myeloid leukemia and conditions referred to as “lazy marrow.”
“We discovered that the presence of mutations in the IDH1 or IDH2 genes, which affect bone marrow, often preceded the onset of arthritis in several cases, suggesting they may play a role in causing the condition,” said Associate Professor Hiwase.
These gene mutations, particularly in IDH1 and IDH2, are known to disrupt bone marrow function, and their presence was found to often precede the onset of arthritis.
This finding suggests that these mutations might contribute to the development of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.
The researchers also noticed that patients with these mutations tended to develop arthritis sooner after their bone marrow disorder diagnosis compared to those without such mutations.
The study also found a correlation between the metabolites produced by these gene mutations, typically associated with cancer, and the development of arthritis.
This link suggests that the metabolic processes influenced by these mutations could be driving the inflammatory response seen in seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.
“Our findings hold significant implications for arthritis patients because it indicates that metabolic therapies commonly used for blood cancer patients might also be effective for certain types of arthritis,” Associate Professor Hiwase added.
This research opens up new possibilities for treating seronegative rheumatoid arthritis by targeting these gene mutations.
The idea that drugs used to treat blood cancers could potentially be repurposed to treat certain forms of arthritis is a promising avenue for future research and treatment development.
Dr. Dan Thomas emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in making this discovery possible, highlighting the role of digital health records and advanced technologies like rapid mass spectrometry in advancing medical research.
This study marks a significant step forward in understanding the link between autoimmune diseases and blood cancers, specifically how certain gene mutations might contribute to autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases like seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.
As researchers continue to explore this connection, there is hope that new, more effective treatments for this challenging condition will emerge.
For those interested in learning more about managing arthritis, studies suggest that extra virgin olive oil and pomegranate might offer natural treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis.
Additionally, recent findings indicate that medical cannabis may help reduce arthritis and back pain, offering further avenues for relief.
These research findings, which open up new possibilities for treating and understanding seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, can be explored in more detail in the journal Blood.
If you care about pain, please read studies about how to manage gout with a low-purine diet, and a guide to eating right for arthritis.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the link between processed foods and chronic diseases, and avoid these 8 foods to ease arthritis pain.
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