People around the globe suffer more from pain due to the fact that their immune systems cannot discern between healthy cells from invader microorganisms. Instead of protecting them from illness, their organs and tissue are attacked by the same defenses.
A number of major international research efforts are underway to combat this trend - for instance, a London-based initiative called the Francis Crick Institute, where two world experts, James Lee and Carola Vinuesa, have set up distinct research groups to determine the exact nature of the autoimmune disorder and other conditions. known.
The number of cases of autoimmune diseases increased about 40 years ago in the West, Lee told the Observer. However, some cases are now being seen in countries where they have never experienced such diseases.
The Middle East, East Asia and Africa have experienced the highest rise in the number of cases of inflammatory bowel disorders over the last few years. They had never seen the disease before.
Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis IBD and rheumatoidarthitis are all immune-mediated diseases. In all cases, the immune system is triggered to attack healthy tissue and not infectious agents.
These conditions have been reported by as many as 4 million people living in the UK. Certain sufferers could be affected by multiple. Globally, it's estimated that cases of autoimmune diseases are growing between 3% and 9% a year. The rise in cases of autoimmune diseases is believed to be caused by environmental factors, according most scientists.
Lee, who previously worked in Cambridge University, said that the human genetics of humans is not changing over the past decades. It appears that something is taking place in the outside world which is increasing our vulnerability to autoimmune disease.
Vinuesa agreed with the idea having previously worked at the Australian National University. She noted that there were changes in the diet because more people were eating western-style meals, and increased consumption of fast food.
Foods that are processed and fast-food-based lack vital ingredients, for instance fiber, and research suggests that this can affect a person's microbiome - the group of micro-organisms are found in our digestive tract and that play a key role in controlling various bodily functions, Vinuesa stated.
These changes to our microbiomes can trigger immune-mediated diseases, of which more than 100 types are now being identified.
Both scientists stressed the fact that everyone is susceptible to these diseases that include celiac, Lupus, and other ailments such as celiac which cause inflammation and swelling and can cause significant harm to different organs.
Vinuesa claims that anyone who doesn't have a specific genetic susceptibility to develop an autoimmune disease, regardless of the quantity of Big Macs they consume. It's impossible to stop the expansion of fast-food restaurants all over the world. Instead, we're trying discover the genetic factors that cause autoimmune disease and why certain individuals are more susceptible to it. "We want to deal with the issue at this level."
Thanks to modern techniques, scientists can now pinpoint small genetic differences among a large number of people. In this way, it is possible to find common genetic patterns in people suffering from an autoimmune disease.
Lee said that we didn't have the equipment to sequence DNA prior to. In the present, we do have the incredible capability to sequence DNA on massive scales, which has had a profound impact to our daily lives. When I began my research, we had only fifty DNA variants that were involved in triggering inflammation in the bowel. Now, there are more than 250.
The research at foundation of Lee and Vinuesa's work that seek to figure out how these various genetic pathways work and decipher the myriad of diseases that doctors are currently studying. Vinuesa has stated that there are numerous variations of autoimmune diseases, including Lupus. If you're trying to determine the most effective treatment it can become an issue.
Although there are many potentially efficient new therapies currently in development but we aren't sure what patients they should be offered to. This is due to the fact that we don't really know the precise nature of their condition. This is the main goal of autoimmune research. So that we can deliver the best treatment we must be able to group and categorize patients.
Lee added that there are now more autoimmune disorders than ever, and new therapies and medications are needed urgently. There are currently no treatments for autoimmune disease that typically affect young people, while they're trying to get their first job, graduate from the school year, and also raise their families.
This means that a growing amount of people need to have surgery or will require injections regularly throughout their entire lives. This could be extremely difficult for patients and put a strain on health care systems. That's why we need to develop innovative Check out and effective treatments.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune condition. This means that the immune system is attacking healthy tissue. It's unclear what causes this.
The antibodies your immune system creates to fight bacteria and viruses is essential to fight infections.
If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system misdirectly sends antibodies towards the lining of your joint which is where they attack the tissues surrounding it.
The tiny layer of cells (synovium) that cover the joints to become sore and inflamed, which releases chemicals that damage nearby:
bones
Cartilage is the connective tissue between bones.
Tendons are the connective tissue that connects bone to muscle.
Ligaments – The tissues that connect cartilage and bone
If the issue is not addressed, it will gradually lead to the loss of alignment and shape. Eventually, it can ruin the joint completely.
There have been many theories on how the immune system fights joints. One theory is that an infection could trigger. But none of these theories have been proved.
Possible risk factors
There are a variety of factors which can increase your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, including:
The genes you carry - Read More There is some evidence to suggest that Rheumatoid arthritis is passed through families. However, the probability of it being passed on to a child is low because genes play only an insignificant influence on the condition.
Hormone-Rheumatoid Ailment is more frequent among women than males. This could be due to estrogenic effects, but it isn't proven.
Smoking cigarettes is a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis. Some evidence supports this.