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Arthritis Antibodies

Antibodies can be used to attack the signaling (TNF) molecule that mediates the autoimmune attack on arthritic joint tissues. These anti-TNF antibodies minimize inflammatory signaling, reduce joint inflammation and also reduce bone attrition.

Inflammation is an activated state of a tissue in which inflammatory cytokines, TNF, IL-1, IL-6 are secreted by T-cells and the tissue responds by expressing genes that cause characteristic vascular dilation and accumulation of migrating cells of the immune system. One particular type of blood cell, a macrophage, can also migrate to the site of inflammation and develop, in response to signals from the inflamed tissue and resident bone secreting cells, osteoblasts, into osteoclasts that degrade bone. Thus, inflammation of joints can result in bone destruction and increase in serum calcium.

TNF is particularly pivotal in the development of osteoclasts and bone destruction. Thus, drugs, such as thalidomide, that block TNF production, also block the symptoms of arthritis. Antibodies can also be developed that bind to TNF and some of these antibodies have been chemically and genetically modified to make them useful as drugs. Examples are Infliximab and Andalimumab. These are proteins that bind to and inactivate TNF. In a similar alternative strategy, a portion of the TNF receptor was engineer to serving as a neutralizing molecule to bind TNF in inflamed tissue. All of these TNF inactivators can reduce symptoms and provide effective therapy for arthritic joints.

The unanswered question in the use of TNF inactivators is, “What caused the inflammation of the joint in the first place?” Inactivation of TNF can provide a temporary return to approximately normal tissue function, but the symptoms are expected to return.

Thus, we come to the unifying question of what causes inflammatory disease mediated by the immune system and directed at normal tissue components. Two obvious candidates are diet and infectious agents.

Food ingredients can exacerbate or ameliorate the symptoms of inflammatory disease, and particular diets determine the risk of acquiring these diseases. Diet is a major factor in inflammation of any source. Bacterial or viral infections frequently precede inflammatory conditions.

The association of infection with inflammation remains controversial, but there is growing evidence that bacteria in particular reside in almost all inflamed tissues. Moreover, there is abundant anecdotal evidence of effective use of antibiotics in numerous inflammatory diseases, including arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, atherosclerosis and cancers of various types.

I expect that elucidation of the link between chronic inflammation, diet and bacterial infection will provide increasingly effective and simple therapies for most diseases in the near future. for details click below