PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Genetic study sheds new light on auto-immune arthritis

2011-07-12
(Press-News.org) The team of researchers from the Universities of Bristol, Queensland (Australia), Oxford, Texas and Toronto, used a technique called genome-wide association where millions of genetic markers are measured in thousands of people that have the disease and thousands of healthy individuals. Markers which are more frequent in individuals with the disease are more likely to be involved in the condition.

Using this approach the investigators found an additional seven genes likely to be involved in the condition, bringing the total number of genes known to predispose to AS to thirteen. Many of the new genes are already known to be involved in inflammatory and immune processes, providing researchers with further clues about how the disease arises. Two of the new genes are also known to predispose to other auto-immune conditions including Crohn's disease (a form of inflammatory bowel disease) and Celiac disease (an auto-immune intestinal disease).

Researchers were also able to demonstrate an interaction between a genetic mutation called HLA-B27 and a mutation in a gene called ERAP1. Specifically, the ERAP1 mutation only predisposed to disease in those individuals who tested positive for the HLA-B27 mutation.

Dr David Evans from the University of Bristol said: "This finding is important in a number of ways. First of all it's one of the first convincing examples we have of one mutation influencing the effect of another mutation in the development of a relatively common disease. This is exciting because it implies that there may be other examples of this phenomenon in other common diseases that we don't know about yet.

"Second, the interaction itself tells us something very fundamental about how AS is caused. Prior to this study there were a number of competing theories about how the disease was caused. Our study suggests very strongly which one of these competing hypotheses is likely to be correct."

Finally, the researchers also identified a single genetic marker which could be used to assist in diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis.

"AS is notoriously difficult to diagnose in its early stages which can lead to costly delays in its treatment," said Dr Evans. "Typically diagnosis consists of a combination of X-rays, patient symptoms and expensive immunological assays in the laboratory. This genetic marker could easily take the place of an expensive immunological assay. What would normally cost £40-£50 could be done easily for a fraction of the price."

### Notes to editors

Paper 'Interaction between ERAP1 and HLA-B27 in ankylosing spondylitis implicates peptide handling as the mechanism for HLA-B27 in disease susceptibility' by Evans et al in Nature Genetics

About AS Unlike most forms of arthritis, AS usually begins in young adulthood, and can therefore significantly impair a sufferer's ability to work, and usually involves life-long treatment. There is currently no cure for the condition although a recent group of drugs called TNF blockers show considerable promise in helping alleviate some of the symptoms.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Unlocking the genetics and biology of ankylosing spondylitis

2011-07-12
A study involving over 5,000 people living with the joint disorder ankylosing spondylitis has identified a series of genetic variants associated with increased susceptibility to the condition as well as providing new clues to how the condition may be treated in the future. The study, a collaboration between the Australo-Anglo-American Spondyloarthritis Consortium and the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium, also provides one of the first confirmed examples of gene-gene interaction seen in humans. Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune disease that affects as many ...

Light propagation controlled in photonic chips -- major breakthrough in telecommunications field

2011-07-12
New York, NY — July 10, 2011 — Researchers at Columbia Engineering School have built optical nanostructures that enable them to engineer the index of refraction and fully control light dispersion. They have shown that it is possible for light (electromagnetic waves) to propagate from point A to point B without accumulating any phase, spreading through the artificial medium as if the medium is completely missing in space. This is the first time simultaneous phase and zero-index observations have been made on the chip-scale and at the infrared wavelength. The study, to ...

U of T researchers build an antenna for light

2011-07-12
TORONTO, ON – University of Toronto researchers have derived inspiration from the photosynthetic apparatus in plants to engineer a new generation of nanomaterials that control and direct the energy absorbed from light. Their findings are reported in a forthcoming issue of Nature Nanotechnology, which will be released on July 10, 2011. The U of T researchers, led by Professors Shana Kelley and Ted Sargent, report the construction of what they term "artificial molecules." "Nanotechnologists have for many years been captivated by quantum dots – particles of semiconductor ...

Quick test can predict immune responses to flu shots

2011-07-12
Researchers at the Emory Vaccine Center have developed a method for predicting whether someone will produce high levels of antibodies against a flu shot a few days after vaccination. After scanning the extent to which carefully selected genes are turned on in white blood cells, the researchers can predict on day three, with up to 90 percent accuracy, who will make high levels of antibodies against a standard flu shot four weeks later. The results were published online July 10 in the journal Nature Immunology. "It often takes several weeks after vaccination for an ...

A murder in the magpie's nest

2011-07-12
VIDEO: This is a video of a violent interaction between the mother and the perpetrator recorded on the first day of infanticide recorded on April 28, 2010. Click here for more information. Finding their young dead in the nest is not uncommon for bird mothers. In many bird species some of the nestlings die before they leave the nest. This is known as "brood reduction", a common form of infanticide that the parents are to blame. On the other hand, witnessing a perpetrator killing ...

Olympia hypothesis: Tsunamis buried the cult site on the Peloponnese

2011-07-12
Olympia, site of the famous Temple of Zeus and original venue of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, was presumably destroyed by repeated tsunamis that travelled considerable distances inland, and not by earthquake and river floods as has been assumed to date. Evidence in support of this new theory on the virtual disappearance of the ancient cult site on the Peloponnesian peninsula comes from Professor Dr Andreas Vött of the Institute of Geography of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. Vött investigated the site as part of a project in which he and his team are ...

Ant colonies: Behavioral variability wins

2011-07-12
They attack other colonies, plunder and rob, kill other colonies' inhabitants or keep them as slaves: Ants are usually regarded as prototypes of social beings that are prepared to sacrifice their lives for their community, but they can also display extremely aggressive behavior towards other nests. The evolution and behavior of ants, in particular the relationship between socially parasitic ants and their hosts, is the research topic of a work group headed by Professor Dr Susanne Foitzik at the Institute of Zoology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. Evolutionary ...

Poor bone health may start early in people with multiple sclerosis

2011-07-12
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Osteoporosis and low bone density are common in people in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study published in the July 12, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "We've known that people who have had MS for a long time are at a greater risk of low bone density and broken bones, but we didn't know whether this was happening soon after the onset of MS and if it was caused by factors such as their lack of exercise due to lack of mobility, or their medications or reduced ...

No difference in brand name and generic drugs regarding thyroid dysfunction

2011-07-12
There is no difference between brand-name and generic drug formulations of amiodarone — taken to control arrhythmia – in the incidence of thyroid dysfunction, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) (pre-embargo link only) http://www.cmaj.ca/site/embargo/cmaj101800.pdf. Amiodarone, prescribed to control irregular heartbeats, is known for causing hypo- and hyper-thyroidism. Amiodarone is available in Canada in brand-name formulations as well as less costly generic versions. Generic formulations may be substituted if considered bioequivalent ...

Alcohol consumption guidelines inadequate for cancer prevention

2011-07-12
Current alcohol consumption guidelines are inadequate for the prevention of cancer and new international guidelines are needed, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) (pre-embargo link only) http://www.cmaj.ca/site/embargo/cmaj110363.pdf. Guidelines in some countries are not currently based on evidence for long-term harm. Most guidelines are based on studies that assessed the short-term effects of alcohol, such as social and psychological issues and hospital admissions, and were not designed to prevent chronic diseases. As well, in some countries, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Fig trees convert atmospheric CO2 to stone

Intra-arterial tenecteplase for acute stroke after successful endovascular therapy

Study reveals beneficial microbes that can sustain yields in unfertilized fields

Robotic probe quickly measures key properties of new materials

Climate change cuts milk production, even when farmers cool their cows

Frozen, but not sealed: Arctic Ocean remained open to life during ice ages

Some like it cold: Cryorhodopsins

Demystifying gut bacteria with AI

Human wellbeing on a finite planet towards 2100: new study shows humanity at a crossroads

Unlocking the hidden biodiversity of Europe’s villages

Planned hydrogen refuelling stations may lead to millions of euros in yearly losses

Planned C-sections increase the risk of certain childhood cancers

Adults who have survived childhood cancer are at increased risk of severe COVID-19

Drones reveal extreme coral mortality after bleaching

New genetic finding uncovers hidden cause of arsenic resistance in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Native habitats hold the key to the much-loved smashed avocado’s future

Using lightning to make ammonia out of thin air

Machine learning potential-driven insights into pH-dependent CO₂ reduction

Physician associates provide safe care for diagnosed patients when directly supervised by a doctor

How game-play with robots can bring out their human side

Asthma: patient expectations influence the course of the disease

UNM physician tests drug that causes nerve tissue to emit light, enabling faster, safer surgery

New study identifies EMP1 as a key driver of pancreatic cancer progression and poor prognosis

XPR1 identified as a key regulator of ovarian cancer growth through autophagy and immune evasion

Flexible, eco-friendly electronic plastic for wearable tech, sensors

Can the Large Hadron Collider snap string theory?

Stuckeman professor’s new book explores ‘socially sustainable’ architecture

Synthetic DNA nanoparticles for gene therapy

New model to find treatments for an aggressive blood cancer

Special issue of Journal of Intensive Medicine analyzes non-invasive respiratory support

[Press-News.org] Genetic study sheds new light on auto-immune arthritis