Many people around the globe suffer from an immune system that can't discern between healthy cells invader bacteria, and diseases. The immune system is being attacked by the immune defenses to diseases that were once there to protect them.
This issue is being tackled by large international research initiatives. One such initiative is at London's Francis Crick Institute. Two world experts, James Lee (from the United States) as well as Carola Vinuesa (from Italy) have created distinct research groups to determine the precise causes.
Numbers of autoimmune cases increased about 40 years ago in the west, Lee told the Observer. However, we are now witnessing cases appear in countries that had never seen the disease before.
The Middle East, East Asia and Africa have seen the highest rise in the number of cases of inflammatory bowel disorders over the last few years. They'd never heard of this disease before.
Type 1 diabetes multiple sclerosis, IBD, and rheumatoidarthitis are all autoimmune illnesses. In each case the immune system becomes confused and switches to healthy tissue instead of the pathogens that cause infection.
The UK is home to at least 4,000,000 people who have these conditions. There are also many others. It is widely believed that the incidence of autoimmune diseases is rising by 3 to 9 percent each year. Many scientists believe that environmental factors play a an important factor in this growth.
Lee who was previously employed in Cambridge University, said that the human genetic makeup hasn't changed in the last decade. There's a possibility that something is going on in the outside world which is increasing our vulnerability to autoimmune disease.
Vinuesa was the one who supported this idea. Vinuesa was previously at the Australian National University. She noted that there had been changes in diet because more people were eating western-style meals, as well as more fast food.
Vinuesa said that fast food meals lack some important ingredients such as fiber. Evidence suggests that this change could alter the microbiome of a person which is the accumulation of microorganisms living in our gut. These microorganisms play a important role in controlling a variety of bodily functions.
The changes in our microbiomes then trigger autoimmune diseases, of which over 100 types have now been discovered.
The two scientists also stressed that each person is susceptible to developing these illnesses, which include celiac, Lupus, and other conditions such as celiac that cause swelling and inflammation and may cause severe damage to the organs of various.
"If you don't have certain genetic susceptibility it is unlikely that you will develop an autoimmune disorder, no matter how many Big Macs you eat," said Vinuesa. "We have no way to stop the rapid growth of fast-food outlets all over the world. We're instead trying to figure out how autoimmune conditions are caused and what genetic causes cause certain individuals to be more vulnerable than others. That is the level that we are aiming to address this issue."
The development of modern technologies has allowed scientists to identify tiny differences in DNA between large groups of individuals. This is how it is possible to identify common genetic patterns in people with an auto-immune disease.
Lee said that we didn't have the equipment to sequence DNA until recently. In the present, we do have the incredible capability to sequence DNA on large scales, which is a major improvement to our daily lives. Inflammatory bowel diseases were only one of the DNA variants that we could identify when I began my study. We now have over 250.
This research is at the core of Lee and Vinuesa's research efforts, which aim to find out how these various genetic pathways work and decipher the many different types of diseases that doctors are currently investigating. Vinuesa said that there could be many versions of some conditions that cause autoimmune disease, such as Lupus. It is important to understand that this has consequences when trying to find the best treatment.
There are many new therapies in development and we don’t know who to give these treatments to. Since we don't know their exact disease, there are many options. This is the purpose of research on autoimmune disease. To ensure that we provide the best therapy, we need to be able group and stratify patients.
Lee said that rising cases of autoimmune disease around the globe Read More means that new medications and treatments are needed now more than ever. It is not possible to treat autoimmune illnesses. It happens when people are young and trying to complete their college education, get a first job and have families.
That means more people are likely to undergo surgery and/or have frequent injections during their life. This is a painful time for patients and also puts an enormous strain on the health system. Therefore, it is crucial to discover new, efficient treatment arthritis rheumatoid meaning options.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease. It is caused by the immune system attacks healthy body tissues. It's still not known what triggers this.
The antibodies your immune system makes to attack viruses and bacteria are the ones you require to fight infections.
If you suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis Your immune system mistakenly sends antibodies into your joints the lining of your joints, and they target the tissues around them.
This causes the thin, cell-like layer that covers your joints (synovium), to become sore and inflamed, which releases chemicals that cause harm nearby.
bones
cartilage - the stretchy connective tissue that runs between bones
Tendons - connects muscles to bone
ligaments, the tissue that connects cartilage and bone
These chemicals can lead to rheumatoid joints injury if the condition is not treated. It could eventually cause the destruction of the joint.
While there are many theories that explain how the immune system is attacking the joint, none of them have been proven.
Possible risk factors
There are a variety of factors that can increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis such as:
Genetics - Some evidence suggests that rheumatoid joint disease can be passed down through families. However, it is unlikely that you'll inherit the disease. Genes are thought to play a small role in it.
Hormones Rheumatoid arthritis is more prevalent for women than for males. Although this may be due to the effects hormone oestrogen has on the body, it has not been established.
Smoking is a risky habit. There is evidence that smoking increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.