All over the world, people are suffering more because their immune systems can't discern between healthy cells from invader microorganisms. The immune system is being attacked with the immune defenses to diseases which were previously there to guard them.
A major international effort in research is underway to stop this trend. An initiative based in London known as the Francis Crick Institute, has two world experts, James Lee & Carola Vinuesa established separate research teams to find out the exact causes of autoimmune disease.
Numbers of autoimmune cases increased about 40 years ago in the West, Lee told the Observer. But, some of these cases are now being observed in countries that have never suffered from the disease.
For instance, the Middle East/East Asia has seen the largest recent increase in inflammatory-bowel disease cases. The patients had never encountered the disease before.
Autoimmune diseases can range from type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis inflammation of the bowel and multiple sclerosis. In each case the immune system is activated and its wires crossed and focuses on healthy tissue instead of the infectious agents.
The UK has at least 4,000,000 people who have these conditions. There are many others. It is estimated that autoimmune conditions are increasing by between 3to 9 percent every year around the world. Many scientists believe environmental factors are the primary factor in this rise.
Lee who was formerly in Cambridge University, says that our genetics haven't changed much over the past decade. So something must be changing around the world and it's increasing our predisposition to autoimmune disease.
Vinuesa who used to be located at the Australian National University, endorsed the idea. She cited changes in diet that were happening as more countries adopted western-style diets , and people bought more fast food.
Vinuesa said that the absence of essential ingredients in fast-food food could result in a decrease in the intake of vital nutrients, such as fiber.
These changes to our microbiomes are then triggering immune-mediated diseases, of which more than 100 types have now been discovered.
The two scientists also stressed that every person is at risk of developing these illnesses, which include celiac, Lupus, and various other illnesses such as celiac that cause swelling and inflammation and can cause significant damage to various organs.
Vinuesa says that an individual who doesn't suffer from a genetic predisposition will not develop an autoimmune disorder regardless of how many Big Macs they consume. We can't stop the growth of fast-food outlets across the globe. Instead, we're trying to discover how autoimmune illnesses occur and what genetic pathways can make some people more susceptible to autoimmune diseases than others. That's Click here the level at which we intend to tackle this problem."
Modern techniques mean that scientists are now able to identify small genetic differences across a wide range of individuals. It is possible to identify common genetic patterns that are common to individuals suffering from an autoimmune condition.
Lee says that although we had the technology for sequencing DNA to the point of being able to sequence DNA, until recent, it was not possible. When I first began my research at the time, we had only a glimpse of half of the DNA variations which were linked to the onset of an inflammatory intestinal condition. We now know about 250.
This research is at the core of Lee and Vinuesa's efforts that aim to find out how the various genetic pathways operate and unravel the myriad of diseases that doctors are currently investigating. Vinuesa stated that autoimmune disorders such as Lupus for instance are present in many forms, and can have multiple genetic causes. If you're trying find the best treatment for your condition, this could be a problem.
We have lots of potentially beneficial new treatments that are being developed constantly, but we don't know the patients they should give the treatments, as we've realized that we don't know for certain which type of disease they have. This is a crucial goal in the field of autoimmune research. To give the right treatment, we must learn how to classify patients.
Lee said that rising cases of autoimmune disease around the globe means that new treatments and medications are needed now more than ever before. At present, there are no cures for autoimmune diseases that usually manifest in young people , as they are trying to complete their studies, secure their first job, and start families, he said.
That means growing numbers of patients will require regular injections for the remainder of their lives. It can be a painful time for patients and also puts an huge strain on the healthcare system. That's why we need to come up with innovative, efficient treatment options.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an immune-mediated disease. However, it's not yet identified what causes this.
The immune system typically produces antibodies that fight against viruses and bacteria, helping to fight infection.
Your immune system may incorrectly release antibodies to joints when you suffer from rheumatoid. These antibodies attack the tissues around them.
This causes the thin cells-like layer of your joints (synovium) to become irritated and painful this releases chemicals that cause harm nearby.
bones
cartilage - the stretchy connective tissue that runs between bones
Tendons are the connective tissue that connects bone to muscle
Ligaments form the connective tissue between cartilage and bone.
Rheumatoid arthritis can be treated but it is not managed. The chemicals that cause it cause the joint to become dislocated and out of alignment. Eventually, it can destroy the joint completely.
While there are many theories that explain how the immune system attacks the joint, none has been proven.
Possible risk factors
You may be more at the risk of developing rheumatoidarthritis when you perform the following:
Genes. There are some indications that arthritis rheumatoid may run in families. However, since genes play a Click here tiny role in the development of the condition it is not a high likelihood of it being passed on to the next generation.
hormones - rheumatoid arthritis is more prevalent among females than males, and this could be due to the impacts of the hormone estrogen, though this has not been proven
Smoking is a major risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis. Some evidence supports this.