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2015/7/6

Identifying proteins involved in rheumatoid arthritis

University Journal Online Editorial Department

　A group of Professor Yoichiro Iwakura of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science has elucidated a new mechanism for the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the joints.Rheumatoid arthritis refers to rheumatoid arthritis. It is known to occur most often in women in their 30s and 50s, and it is the most common illness in their 40s, when work and child-rearing are the busiest.There was a candidate for the causative cell, but no definitive evidence was available.

Professor Iwakura et al. Observed the function of cells thought to be involved in rheumatism in experiments using mice.The key is the cells that produce a protein called IL-17. IL-17 is a type of protein called interleukin (IL), and cells responsible for immune function in the body are activated by receiving IL and start attacking foreign enemies.In autoimmune diseases and immunodeficiency, it is thought that interleukin is secreted unnecessarily or not secreted.Until now, IL-17 has been nominated as a cause of rheumatoid arthritis, but in this experiment using mice, leukocytes that received IL-17 attacked the joints, causing inflammation.

Based on this result, if drugs can suppress the production and secretion of IL-17 and prevent white blood cells from receiving it, it may lead to a new treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.It is also expected to lead to treatments for other diseases caused by IL-17 (such as psoriasis and multiple sclerosis).

Source:[Tokyo University of Science] Discovery of new arthritis onset mechanism Expectations for intractable disease treatment (PDF)

Tokyo University of Science

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Tokyo University of Science was founded in 1881 as the "Tokyo Physics Training Institute", and after more than 140 years of history, it has developed into a comprehensive science and engineering university with 4 campuses, 7 faculties, 33 departments, and 7 graduate schools with 30 majors. Graduation of students who have acquired the true ability and the founding spirit of "making the spread of science the basis for the development of national luck" […]

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