Article - Predicting the Severity of Arthritis

[Guest guest]

Hi - I found this interesting and thought you might like to read it. I

wonder what this will do to future testing and treatments?

Hope everyone is doing well today. -

Predicting the Severity of Arthritis

Future Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments May Target Protein Called RAGE

By Liza Jane Maltin

WebMD Medical News Reviewed By , MD

May 10, 2002 -- Researchers have identified a protein, called RAGE, that may

explain why some people with rheumatoid arthritis have severe symptoms while

others experience only mild problems. The finding may also point the way to

effective new treatments.

RAGE proteins are found on the surface of cells within the joints. Ann Marie

Schmidt, MD, from New York's Columbia University, and colleagues found that

certain forms of RAGE are particularly good at attracting and binding

inflammatory proteins. This brings on an immune response that damages the

joints.

And, they found, people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and this souped-up,

destructive form of the protein, have the most severe symptoms.

In an experiment with arthritic mice, the team demonstrated that blocking

RAGE significantly reduced the amount of inflammation and destruction in the

animals' joints. Whether a similar approach will work for humans remains to

be seen.

But, they say, the findings do suggest that future treatment might be

tailored to a person's individual form of RAGE, and that the RAGE protein

may be involved in other autoimmune diseases.

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[Guest guest]

Yes, this IS very interesting, . Thank you for sending it.

There are people working on RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end

products) antagonists already. RAGE has been implicated as a factor in

several other conditions - Alzheimer's, diabetes, hepatitis C, and

kidney disease, for example, and various researchers are learning a lot

about it. Exciting stuff!

http://www.tbc.com/content/apoptosis_main.html#rage

http://www.jdrf.org/about_jdrf/annual_rpt_2000/vascular.php

[ ] Article - Predicting the Severity of Arthritis

> Hi - I found this interesting and thought you might like to read it. I

> wonder what this will do to future testing and treatments?

> Hope everyone is doing well today. -

>

> Predicting the Severity of Arthritis

>

> Future Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments May Target Protein Called RAGE

>

> By Liza Jane Maltin

> WebMD Medical News Reviewed By , MD

>

> May 10, 2002 -- Researchers have identified a protein, called RAGE,

that may

> explain why some people with rheumatoid arthritis have severe symptoms

while

> others experience only mild problems. The finding may also point the

way to

> effective new treatments.

>

> RAGE proteins are found on the surface of cells within the joints. Ann

Marie

> Schmidt, MD, from New York's Columbia University, and colleagues found

that

> certain forms of RAGE are particularly good at attracting and binding

> inflammatory proteins. This brings on an immune response that damages

the

> joints.

>

> And, they found, people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and this

souped-up,

> destructive form of the protein, have the most severe symptoms.

>

> In an experiment with arthritic mice, the team demonstrated that

blocking

> RAGE significantly reduced the amount of inflammation and destruction

in the

> animals' joints. Whether a similar approach will work for humans

remains to

> be seen.

>

> But, they say, the findings do suggest that future treatment might be

> tailored to a person's individual form of RAGE, and that the RAGE

protein

> may be involved in other autoimmune diseases.