The immune system of a lot of people are unable to differentiate between healthy cells from invading micro-organisms. This is creating more suffering across the globe. Instead of protecting them from disease the organs and tissues are being attacked by these same defenses.
This issue is being tackled by major international research efforts. One instance of this initiative is London's Francis Crick Institute. Two world experts, James Lee (from the Americas) as well as Carola Vinuesa (from Italy) have created distinct research groups to determine the exact causes.
Lee told the Observer how the number of cases of autoimmune disease has increased in the past 40 years in the West. However, these diseases are now showing up in countries which have never seen them before.
For instance, the largest recent rise in cases of inflammatory bowel disease has occurred located in the Middle East and east Asia. They'd never heard of the condition before.
Autoimmune diseases range from type 1 diabetes to multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Each case is different. In all cases the immune system crosses its wires, and it switches to healthy tissue rather than infectious agents.
The UK has at least 4,000,000 people who have these conditions. There are also numerous others. Globally, it's estimated that cases of autoimmune diseases are growing by between 3% and 9% a year. Many scientists believe that environmental factors play a major factor in this growth.
Lee who was previously employed in Cambridge University, said that the human genetics of humans is not changing over the last decade. It appears that something is going on in the outside world that is increasing our susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.
Vinuesa was the person who supported this idea. Vinuesa was previously at the Australian National University. She pointed to the changes in food habits that were taking place as more countries adopted western-style diets , and people bought more fast food.
Vinuesa explains that many fast food products lack essential ingredients such as fibre. This could alter one's microbiome which is the collection of micro-organisms that are found in our bodies, and which plays a critical role in controlling different bodily functions.
The changes in microbiomes can lead to autoimmune disorders. There are more than 100 different types.
Both scientists said that individuals are susceptible to developing these diseases. These include celiac as well as lupus, which can trigger inflammation and swelling and lead to damage to various organs including the heart.
Vinuesa said that autoimmune disorders are not something you can develop if you don't possess a particular genetic susceptibility. "We are unable to slow the growth of fast-food restaurants Check out across the globe. Instead, we're trying to to understand the genetic causes of autoimmune disease and why certain people are at risk. "We are trying to address the problem at this point."
The development of modern technologies allows us to detect tiny variations in DNA between large groups of individuals. It is possible to identify common genetic patterns in people suffering from an autoimmune disorder.
Lee says that although we had the tools to sequence DNA a large extent until recently however, it was not possible. Inflammatory bowel disease was just one of the DNA variants that we could identify when I began my study. Now, we know more than 250.
Lee and Vinuesa are pursuing such work because they want to learn more about how genetic pathways function and the underlying causes of the diverse diseases that doctors are currently looking into. Vinuesa believes it's now evident that there are many types of autoimmune conditions, like Lupus. They could all be caused by different genetic pathways. When you're trying to find the best treatment for your condition, this could be a problem.
Many new therapies are under development, and we don't know who we should give them to. Since we don't know their specific disease there are numerous options. This is an important goal in the field of autoimmune research. So that we can deliver the best treatment it is essential to be able group and stratify patients.
Lee stated that the growing incidence of autoimmune diseases around the world meant that new treatment and drugs were urgently required. There are currently no cures to autoimmune diseases that usually manifest in young people , as they're trying to complete their studies, secure their first job, and start families, he added.
That means more people will have to undergo surgery and/or have regular injections throughout their life. It can be very distressing for patients and put stressing the health services. We need new and effective treatment methods.
Rheumatoid is a condition that causes an immune response. It is a condition where the immune system targets healthy tissue. It is not known exactly the reason behind this.
Your immune system produces antibodies that fight viruses and bacteria. This helps you fight infection.
Rheumatoid arthritis refers to a condition where your immune system sends antibodies to your joints. They attack the tissue surrounding the joint.
The thin synovium layer, of cells that cover your joints to become sore. In addition, it releases chemicals that could cause injuries to the area.
bones
Cartilage is the connective tissue which connects cartilage and bones
Tendons - connects muscle to bone
ligaments - the tissue that connects bone and cartilage
If rheumatoid disease isn't treated it will cause the joint to loose its shape. The end result can be irreparable.
There have been many theories as to why the immune system attacks joints. One theory is that an infection might be a trigger. But none of these theories has been proven.
Possible risk factors
Rheumatoid arthritis can be caused by a range of causes, including:
The genes. There are some signs that rheumatoid-related arthritis could be a family trait. Check out Since genes play a minor part in the course of development it is not a high chance that the condition will be passed on to the next generation.
Hormones Rheumatoid Arthritis is much more prevalent in women than in men. This could result from the effect of Oestrogen. But, the link is not yet established.
Smoking - Evidence suggests that smokers are more likely get rheumatoid arthritis.