Research team paves the way for rheumatoid arthritis treatment

[Image source: Pixabay]

A South Korean research team has developed a potential treatment substance that can simultaneously eliminate several causes of rheumatoid arthritis.

According to the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) on Thursday, a joint research team led by Director Hyeon Taeg-hwan of the IBS Center for Nanoparticle Research, Professor Kim Byung-soo of the School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Principal Researcher Jung Young-mee of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), published these research findings online in the academic journal Nature Nanotechnology.

The substance is created by combining nanoceria particles and the next-generation stem cell technology known as nanovesicles. The nanoceria particles eliminate free oxygen radicals, alleviating inflammation and normalizing innate immunity, while nanovesicles, derived from stem cells, promote the expression of “regulatory T cells” to protect joints and regulate acquired immunity. Regulatory T cells are crucial in the recovery of autoimmune responses where the immune system attacks healthy cells.

The research team administered the substance to mice 20 days after they developed arthritis, and observed improvements in paw thickness, temperature, and behavioral symptoms, with joint recovery occurring within a week.

“Using the treatment in the early stages, before the disease fully develops, can have preventive effects for rheumatoid arthritis and could ultimately lead to fundamental treatment for the condition,” Hyeon said.