Researchers Discover Potential New Approach to Treating Psoriatic Joint Inflammation

AHA Publisher — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 07:00:55 +0000

University of California – Davis Health via EurekAlert – An international team of researchers, led by UC Davis Health, has developed a new therapeutic approach to treating psoriatic arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the joints. Using a novel chemical blocker targeting chemokine proteins, the researchers were able to significantly reduce skin and joint inflammation in a mouse model with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. What is psoriatic arthritis? Psoriatic arthritis affects up to a third of patients with psoriasis, an auto-immune skin inflammation. It creates mobility and functional changes that make it painful for patients to use their hands or walk. Some of these changes are irreversible. Psoriatic arthritis is tough to treat. “There is a clear need for better treatments using alternative approaches to joint inflammation,” said Sam T. Hwang, professor and chair of dermatology at UC Davis and senior author of the study. Understanding the Mechanism Behind Joint Inflammation Chemokines are small molecules with a critical role in the body’s response to inflammation and infection. They help guide the migration of immune cells to the site of injury or trauma. Chemokines need receptors to function. One specific chemokine receptor is CCR6. The researchers assessed the role of CCR6 and its binding partner CC chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) in inflammation linked to psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. They looked at the potential of the CCR6/CCL20 combo as an effective therapeutic target. They measured the CCR6 and the CCL20 levels in the joint fluid and tendon tissues of patients with psoriatic arthritis. CCR6 is a critical agent for the migration of T cells – a type of white blood cells – in skin psoriasis. The new study showed that CCR6 plays a similar role in joint inflammation. The team also found that CCL20 is present at very high levels in inflamed joint fluid. “We observed a significant increase of both CCR6 and CCL20 in the connective tissue of mice with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis,” Hwang noted. “This high presence was also confirmed in inflamed human tendon biopsies.” The presence of CCL20 at the site of the inflammation makes it a very attractive target for arthritis therapy. The connective tissue linking tendons and ligaments with the bones is called the enthesis. It is an important site of inflammation in psoriatic arthritis. The study found that entheses are distinct locations which CCR6+ T cells appear to locate and, therefore, cause inflammation. “It is critical to identify the specific tissues where inflammation in the joints first occurs before it spreads and damages the cartilage and the bone,” Hwang said. Blocking the function of the CCR6 chemokine The researchers tested the ability of a novel engineered protein- known as CCL20 locked dimer (CCL20LD)- in blocking the CCR6 function in a mouse model with psoriatic arthritis. The protein profoundly reduced both skin and joint inflammation by shutting the CCR6’s power to attract T cells. “The success of CCL2OLD in blocking CCR6 function in a mouse model shows potential for treating psoriatic arthritis in humans,” Hwang said. “Definitely, this requires more testing and clinical trials to explore its effectiveness and safety.” To read the original article click here.

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Garlic Supplementation Linked to LOWER Body Aches and Discomfort

AHA Publisher — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 07:00:16 +0000

Joy Jensen via NaturalHealth365 – As many as two percent of the population are affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Characterized by joint inflammation that often causes deformity, many individuals diagnosed with the disease deal with pain, tender joints, fatigue, and additional life-altering symptoms. Of course, conventionally speaking, there’s “no cure” for rheumatoid arthritis. However, a new studyfound that taking garlic supplements resulted in reduced body aches and discomfort for patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Not only did garlic supplementation result in improvements in pain, it reduce inflammation, fatigue, and disease activity scores, as well. Inflammatory Markers IMPROVED for Those Taking Garlic Supplements Garlic – rich in compounds like diallyl sulfide and allicin – has been found to have anti-inflammatory effects on multiple studies, and researchers have documented its anti-fatigue and pain-relieving benefits in the past. Researchers wanted to dig deeper into how garlic would affect individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and gave 70 women with the disease 500 milligram garlic supplements or a placebo twice each day for eight weeks. At the beginning, they measured various biomarkers of inflammation and clinical symptoms in the study group. After eight weeks, the women with RA who’d received the garlic supplements saw a significant reduction in their serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) levels as compared to the placebo group, which indicates lower inflammation levels. Those taking garlic also saw improvements in tender joint count, pain, fatigue, and their disease activity scores after the eight-week trial. According to researchers, this study is the first one of its kind that investigated the effects of garlic on inflammatory biomarkers, clinical symptoms, and fatigue in patients who have rheumatoid arthritis. With the positive results, garlic should be considered as an adjunct treatment for patients with RA, although scientists believe that more long-term studies would be helpful. Garlic’s Antioxidant Properties Offer Additional Health Benefits It’s the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of garlic that make it so beneficial, and it offers health benefits beyond these new discoveries for treatment RA. Previous research found that garlic is associated with a lower mortality risk in individuals of all ages. Supplementing with garlic even helps boost liver health, detoxifying the liver and even helping to reverse nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Taking garlic supplements daily also helps reduce blood pressure In addition, taking garlic supplements daily also helps reduce blood pressure – even as well as prescription blood pressure medications do. Garlic supplementation is also linked to better heart health, improved immunity, lower cholesterol levels, and blood clot prevention. One of the best ways to enjoy the benefits of garlic is to add more fresh, raw garlic to your diet. Toss it in salads, soups, or other dishes. Of course, most people don’t eat enough garlic to maximize the health benefits, which is where a supplement can help. Consider a quality garlic supplement to take advantage of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties garlic offers for better health. Sources for this article include: Wiley.com, LifeExtension.com, NaturalHealth365.com To read the original article click here.

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Researchers Discover Potential New Approach to Treating Psoriatic Joint Inflammation

Garlic Supplementation Linked to LOWER Body Aches and Discomfort